Veterinary Research Forum

Abstract Dogs serve as definitive or intermediate hosts for some protozoan and helminth parasites, some of which are of zoonotic, and others cause severe infectious diseases in other animals. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in shelter dogs in Khorasan Razavi province, Iran. A total of 323 fecal samples were randomly collected from shelter dogs in Mashhad and Neyshabur areas. All samples were then transferred to the Parasitology Laboratory and examined detect intestinal protozoa and helminths using the formalin-ether technique. Out of the 323 fecal samples, 92 (28.48%) tested positive for intestinal parasites. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites in shelter dogs in Mashhad and Neyshabur areas were 23.83 and 35.38%, respectively. Monospecific infection was found in 19.50% of dogs, while concurrent infection with two or more species was seen in 8.97% of dogs. The frequencies of the nine detected parasites were as follows: Sarcocystis sp. 12.38%, Giardia sp. 4.64%, Cystoisospora sp. 2.78%, Hammondia Neospora-like oocysts 2.16%, Taenia sp. 6.19%, Toxascaris leonina 7.43%, Dicrocoelium dendriticum 1.54%, Toxocara canis 0.92% and Capillaria sp. 0.30%. The results of this study showed the high frequency of intestinal parasites in shelter dogs. To control important zoonotic helminthic diseases such as echinococcosis and toxocariasis, it is recommended to eliminate stray dogs in cooperation with municipalities and veterinary departments in Iran. If stray dogs are transferred to shelters, they should receive regular treatment with effective anti-helminthic drugs.

Abstract Parasitic infections of rodents can compromise scientific research as well as the health of the animals and humans. Based on previous studies, infection rate of parasitic helminths is different in various regions of Iran. The current survey was aimed to determine endoparasitic helminths infection in 138 trapped rodents of Kermanshah county, Iran. Mice and rats were trapped using metal snares from January to October 2011 and euthanized. Rodents included 110 Mus musculus (79.00%), 23 Rattus norvegicus (17.00%), and five Rattus rattus (4.00%). The gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts were removed and examined to identify parasitic helminths. The results indicated that 42.02% of examined rodents were infected with eight helminths species, i.e. Trichuris muris (14.49%), Syphacia obvelata (13.76%), Syphacia muris (2.89%), Aspicularis tetrapetra (5.07%), Heterakis spumosa (5.07%), Capillaria hepatica eggs (3.62%), Hyminolepis diminuta (12.30%), and Cystisercus fasciolaris, the larva of Taenia teanieformis (4.34%). Given the results of this study, we concluded that examined rodents were more infected with nematodes than other helminths. As rodents are usually infected with a number of zoonotic parasites, hence control of these animals has an important role in safeguarding public health.