Gastrointestinal Helminthic Parasites of Stray Cats (Felis ca-tus) in Northwest Iran
-
Enayat Darabi
,
Eshrat Beigom Kia
,
Mehdi Mohebali
,
Iraj Mobedi
,
Farzaneh Zahabiun
,
Zabiholla Zarei
,
Mahya Khodabakhsh
,
Khadijeh Khanaliha
Abstract
Background: Stray cats are considered an important source of various human and animal diseases, particularly diseases of parasitic helminths. We aimed to investigate the distribution of zoonotic species of gastrointestinal helminths in stray cats in Meshkin-Shahr district in Ardabil Province in the northwest of Iran.
Methods: The gastrointestinal tract of 104 stray cats from villages of Meshkin-Shahr district were provided during 2014-2015. Each gastrointestinal tract was cut into distinct sections, including esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, and each section was examined separately for detection of helminths. Helminths were collected and then identified at the species level after clearing and staining.
Results: Overall, 88 out of 104 cats (84.6%) were found to be infected with at least one gastrointestinal helminth. The rate of infection for each species was as follows: Toxocara mystax (syn. cati) (49%), Taenia taeniaeformis (44.2%), Joyexiella pasqualei (32.7%), Dipylidium caninum (23.1%), Rictularia cahirensis (4.8%), and Physaloptera praeputialis (4.8%). Among these parasites, only Ph. praeputialis was collected from the stomach, all other helminths were collected from the small intestine.
Conclusion: The results demonstrate a high infection rate of stray cats with zoonotic helminths. The presence of zoonotic species in stray cats, particularly T. mystax, has public health importance.
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14. Calvete C, Lucientes J, Castillo JA, et al. Gastrointestinal helminth parasites in stray cats from the mid-Ebro Valley, Spain. Vet Parasitol. 1998;75(2–3):235–40.
15. Labarthe N, Serrão ML, Ferreira AMR, et al. A survey of gastrointestinal helminths in cats of the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Vet Parasitol. 2004;123(1–2):133–9.
16. Malloy WF, Embil JA. Prevalence of Toxocara spp. and other parasites in dogs and cats in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Can J Comp Med. 1978;42(1):29–31.
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18. Arbabi M, Hooshyar H. Gastrointestinal parasites of stray cats in Kashan, Iran. Trop Biomed. 2009;26(1):16–22.
19. Sharif M, Nasrolahei M, Ziapour SP, et al. Toxocara cati infections in stray cats in northern Iran. J Helminthol. 2007;81(1):63–66.
20. Yaman M, Ayaz E, Gül A, et al. Investigation of helminth infections of cats and dogs in the Hatay province. Turkiye Parazitol Derg. 2006;30(3):200–204.
21. Talvik H, Moks E, Mägi E, et al. Distribution of Toxocara infection in the environment and in definitive and paratenic hosts in Estonia. Acta Vet Hung. 2006;54(3):399–406.
22. Giannelli A, Capelli G, Joachim A, et al. Lungworms and gastrointestinal parasites of domestic cats: a European perspective. Int J Parasitol. 2017;47(9):517–28.
23. Gamboa MI. Effects of temperature and humidity on the development of eggs of Toxocara canis under laboratory conditions. J Helminthol. 2005;79(4):327–31.
24. Jamshidi S, Meshki B, Meshki M. A study of helminthic infection of gastrointestinal tract in stray cats at urban areas in Isfahan. J Vet Res. 2002; 57(2): 25-27
25. Mikaeili F, Mirhendi H, Hosseini M, et al. Toxocara nematodes in stray cats from Shiraz, Southern Iran: Intensity of infection and molecular identification of the isolates. Iran J Parasitol. 2013;8(4):593–600.
26. Sadjjadi SM, Oryan A, Jalai AR, et al. Prevalence and intensity of infestation with Toxocara cati in stray cats in Shiraz, Iran. Vet Arh. 2001;71(3):149–57.
27. Hajipour N, Imani Baran A, Yakhchali M, et al. A survey study on gastrointestinal parasites of stray cats in Azarshahr, (East Azerbaijan province, Iran). J Parasit Dis. 2016;40(4):1255–60.
28. Robben SR, le Nobel WE, Döpfer D, et al. Infections with helminths and/or protozoa in cats in animal shelters in the Netherlands. Tijdschr Diergeneeskd. 2004;129(1):2–6.
29. Umeche N, Ima AE. Intestinal helminthic infections of cats in Calabar, Nigeria. Folia Parasitol (Praha). 1988;35(2):165–8.
30. Vanparijs O, Hermans L, van der Flaes L. Helminth and protozoan parasites in dogs and cats in Belgium. Vet Parasitol. 1991;38(1):67–73.
31. Schuster R, Kaufmann A, Hering S. Investigations on the endoparasite fauna of the domestic cat in eastern Brandenburg. Berl Munch Tierarztl Wochenschr. 1997;110(2):48–50.
32. Abdi J, Asadolahi K, Maleki M H, et al. Prevalence of Helminthes Infection of Stray Dogs in Ilam Province. Arch Adv Biosci. 2013; 4 (2): 47-50.
2. Hasslinger MA, Omar HM, Selim MK. incidence of helminths in stray cats in Egypt and other Mediterranean countries. Vet Med Rev. 1988;59(1):76-81.
3. Khademvatan S, Abdizadeh R, Rahim F, et al. Stray cats gastrointestinal parasites and its association with public health in Ahvaz City, South Western of Iran. Jundishapur J Microbiol. 2014; 7(8): e11079.
4. Schantz PM. Toxocara larva migrans now. Am J Trop Med Hyg.1989; 41(3 Suppl):21-34.
5. Blaszkowska J, Wojcik A, Kurnatowski P, et al. Geohelminth egg contamination of children's play areas in the city of Lodz (Poland). Vet Parasitol. 2013; 192(1-3):228-33.
6. Zibaei M, Sadjjadi SM, Sarkari B. Prevalence of Toxocara cati and other intestinal helminths in stray cats in Shiraz, Iran. Trop Biomed. 2007; 24(2):39-43.
7. Borji H, Razmi G, Ahmadi A, et al. A survey on endoparasites and ectoparasites of stray cats from Mashhad (Iran) and association with risk factors. J Parasit Dis. 2011; 35(2):202-6.
8. Esmaeilzadeh M, Shamsfard M, Kazemi A, et al. Prevalence of protozoa and gastrointestinal helminthes in stray cats in Zanjan Province, north-west of Iran. Iran J Parasitol. 2009;4(3):71–5.
9. Changizi E, Mobedi I, Salimi-Bejestani M, et al. Gastrointestinal Helminthic Parasites in Stray Cats (Felis catus) from North of Iran. Iran J Parasitol. 2007;2(4):25–9.
10. Khodabakhsh M, Malmasi A, Mohebali M, et al. Feline dirofilariosis due to Dirofilaria immitis in Meshkin shahr district, northwestern Iran. Iran J Parasitol. 2016;11(2):269–73.
11. Ash LR OT. Gastrointestinal Helminthic Parasites in Stray Cats (Felis catus) from North of Iran. Iran J Parasitol. 2007;2(4):25–9.
12. Yamaguti S. Systema Helminthum. vol. III, The Nematodes of Vertebrates. New York Intersci[Internet].1963;141(3584):897.Availablefrom:http://science.sciencemag.org/content/141/3584/897.
13. Yamaguti S. Systema Helminthum. Vol. II. The cestodes of vertebrates. Systema helminthum.1959:860.
14. Calvete C, Lucientes J, Castillo JA, et al. Gastrointestinal helminth parasites in stray cats from the mid-Ebro Valley, Spain. Vet Parasitol. 1998;75(2–3):235–40.
15. Labarthe N, Serrão ML, Ferreira AMR, et al. A survey of gastrointestinal helminths in cats of the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Vet Parasitol. 2004;123(1–2):133–9.
16. Malloy WF, Embil JA. Prevalence of Toxocara spp. and other parasites in dogs and cats in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Can J Comp Med. 1978;42(1):29–31.
17. Hoopes JH, Polley L, Wagner B, et al. A retrospective investigation of feline gastrointestinal parasites in western Canada. Can Vet J. 2013;54(4):359–62.
18. Arbabi M, Hooshyar H. Gastrointestinal parasites of stray cats in Kashan, Iran. Trop Biomed. 2009;26(1):16–22.
19. Sharif M, Nasrolahei M, Ziapour SP, et al. Toxocara cati infections in stray cats in northern Iran. J Helminthol. 2007;81(1):63–66.
20. Yaman M, Ayaz E, Gül A, et al. Investigation of helminth infections of cats and dogs in the Hatay province. Turkiye Parazitol Derg. 2006;30(3):200–204.
21. Talvik H, Moks E, Mägi E, et al. Distribution of Toxocara infection in the environment and in definitive and paratenic hosts in Estonia. Acta Vet Hung. 2006;54(3):399–406.
22. Giannelli A, Capelli G, Joachim A, et al. Lungworms and gastrointestinal parasites of domestic cats: a European perspective. Int J Parasitol. 2017;47(9):517–28.
23. Gamboa MI. Effects of temperature and humidity on the development of eggs of Toxocara canis under laboratory conditions. J Helminthol. 2005;79(4):327–31.
24. Jamshidi S, Meshki B, Meshki M. A study of helminthic infection of gastrointestinal tract in stray cats at urban areas in Isfahan. J Vet Res. 2002; 57(2): 25-27
25. Mikaeili F, Mirhendi H, Hosseini M, et al. Toxocara nematodes in stray cats from Shiraz, Southern Iran: Intensity of infection and molecular identification of the isolates. Iran J Parasitol. 2013;8(4):593–600.
26. Sadjjadi SM, Oryan A, Jalai AR, et al. Prevalence and intensity of infestation with Toxocara cati in stray cats in Shiraz, Iran. Vet Arh. 2001;71(3):149–57.
27. Hajipour N, Imani Baran A, Yakhchali M, et al. A survey study on gastrointestinal parasites of stray cats in Azarshahr, (East Azerbaijan province, Iran). J Parasit Dis. 2016;40(4):1255–60.
28. Robben SR, le Nobel WE, Döpfer D, et al. Infections with helminths and/or protozoa in cats in animal shelters in the Netherlands. Tijdschr Diergeneeskd. 2004;129(1):2–6.
29. Umeche N, Ima AE. Intestinal helminthic infections of cats in Calabar, Nigeria. Folia Parasitol (Praha). 1988;35(2):165–8.
30. Vanparijs O, Hermans L, van der Flaes L. Helminth and protozoan parasites in dogs and cats in Belgium. Vet Parasitol. 1991;38(1):67–73.
31. Schuster R, Kaufmann A, Hering S. Investigations on the endoparasite fauna of the domestic cat in eastern Brandenburg. Berl Munch Tierarztl Wochenschr. 1997;110(2):48–50.
32. Abdi J, Asadolahi K, Maleki M H, et al. Prevalence of Helminthes Infection of Stray Dogs in Ilam Province. Arch Adv Biosci. 2013; 4 (2): 47-50.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 16 No 3 (2021) | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/ijpa.v16i3.7095 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Gastrointestinal helminths Toxocara mystax Stray cats Zoonotic Iran | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Darabi E, Kia EB, Mohebali M, Mobedi I, Zahabiun F, Zarei Z, Khodabakhsh M, Khanaliha K. Gastrointestinal Helminthic Parasites of Stray Cats (Felis ca-tus) in Northwest Iran. Iran J Parasitol. 2021;16(3):418-425.
