Genetic Analysis of Toxocara Spp. in Stray Cats and Dogs in Van Province, Eastern Turkey.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Introduction
Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati are roundworms of dogs and cats. The purpose of this study was to investigate the infection caused by these ascarids in cats and dogs, using microscopic and molecular analysis methods.Material and methods
Adult ascarids were gathered from the faeces of dogs and cats in Van province, in 2015-2016. Existing keys and PCR sequencing of the ITS-2 fragment were used to identify the morphological features of the parasite species.Results
It was observed that out of 20 adult ascarids, 17 and 3 were found to be Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati, respectively. The ITS-2 gene region was amplified by PCR to perform molecular analysis. Genotyping indicated that the dogs and cats were infected with T. canis and T. cati, respectively, and none had Toxascaris leonina.Conclusion
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the molecular characteristics of adult ascaridoid nematodes from cats and dogs in Turkey. The molecular approaches established in this study enable molecular identification and genetic structure studies of the ascaridoids.
SUBMITTER: Oguz B
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6296006 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Similar Datasets
Project description:Introduction:Echinococcus granulosus is a zoonotic helminth of the Taeniidae family living in the small intestines of dogs. The hydatid cyst, which is the larval form of this parasite, is observed in sheep, goat, cattle, and many other organisms including humans. It causes a disease called cystic echinococcosis. Identification of strains of E. granulosus in dogs is critical in parasite control and eradication where possible. This study aims to determine the genotype of E. granulosus eggs and prevalence of this parasite in the faeces of dogs in the Van Province using the copro-PCR method. Material and Methods:This study was conducted between 2015 and 2016 on the faeces obtained from 100 stray dogs from different parts of the Van Province. The coprological examination was conducted using the formalin-ether concentration method. Results:Taeniidae eggs were found in 10 (10%) out of 100 faecal samples. E. granulosus was detected in 4 out of 10 of these (40%) infected samples. Sequence analysis of positive amplicons obtained from PCR showed that there were sheep strains (G1). Conclusion:Dogs in Van area are primarily infected with the livestock genotype of E. granulosus, which is thought to be a potential zoonotic threat to humans.
| S-EPMC6364166 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Feces of stray cat are potential sources of gastrointestinal parasites and play a crucial role in spreading and transmitting parasite eggs, larvae, and oocysts through contamination of soil, food, or water. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of Toxocara spp. infection in stray cats in Ahvaz city, southwest Iran. Eggs of Toxocara spp. in feces of stray cats were detected by the sucrose flotation method, and identification was conducted by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. Of the 140 fecal samples that were randomly collected from public environments during the months of January to May 2012, 45% were found to harbour Toxocara spp. eggs. The highest prevalence of Toxocara spp. eggs was found in the central area of Ahvaz city (28.6%). T. canis eggs were found in 4 (6.34%) of the 63 positive samples. Stray cats are found in parks, playgrounds, and other public places and may be a potential contamination risk. Identification of Toxocara spp. using molecular methods is sufficiently sensitive to detect low levels of parasites and identify the different Toxocara spp. in feces. The relatively high prevalence of Toxocara spp. infection may continue to increase due to lack of effective environmental hygiene control in Iran. Consequently, there is a need to plan adequate programs to detect, identify, and control this infection as well as stray cats in the region.
| S-EPMC3670902 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Leptospirosis is an important worldwide zoonosis. This disease is caused by pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira which are maintained in the environment via chronic renal infection of carrier animals which can be asymptomatic excretors of the organisms in their urines and become a source of infection for humans and other hosts. The prevalence of animal leptospirosis in Algiers, Algeria, is unknown.Real-time PCR and standard PCR and sequencing were used to detect pathogenic Leptospira organisms in the urines of stray dogs and cats in Algiers. In the presence of appropriate controls, none of the 107 cat urine samples were positive while 5/104 (4.8%) canine urine samples (asymptomatic mixed-breed dogs, three females and two males) were positive in two real-time PCR assays targeting the rrs and hsp genes. The positivity of these samples was confirmed by partial PCR-sequencing of the rpoB gene which yielded 100% sequence similarity with Leptospira interrogans reference sequence. In this study, L. interrogans prevalence was significantly higher in dogs aged < one year (16.46% - 29.41%) than in adults (0%) (P value = 0.0001) and then in the overall dog population (2.68% - 4.8%) (P = 0.0007).These results suggest that dogs are maintenance hosts for zoonotic leptospirosis in Algiers, Algeria. To face this situation, effective canine vaccination strategies and raising public health awareness are mandatory. Further investigations incorporating a larger sample in more localities will be undertaken to document the epidemiology of urban animal leptospirosis in Algeria at large.
| S-EPMC5955589 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:There are only limited number of reports on molecular epidemiology of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in dogs and cats in China. This study was conducted to assess the infection rates, genetic identity, and public health potential of these parasites in dogs and cats in Guangdong, China. METHODS:PCR and sequence analyses were used to identify and genotype Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis in fecal samples from 641 dogs and 418 cats in Guangdong. Chi-square test and odds ratio analysis were used to compare the occurrence rates of these pathogens and identify risk factors for infection. RESULTS:The overall infection rates of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis were 6.9% (44/641) and 9.4% (60/641) in dogs, and 6.2% (26/418) and 3.6% (15/418) in cats. Purebred cats (12.4%; ?2?=?5.110, OR?=?2.8, P?=?0.024) and dogs (10.8%; ?2?=?5.597, OR?=?4.8, P?=?0.018) were more likely to be infected by Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis, respectively. Dogs (12.0%; ?2?=?7.589, OR?=?2.6, P?=?0.006) and cats (13.6%; ?2?=?8.235, OR?=?3.5, P?=?0.004) under 6 months had significantly higher infection rates of Cryptosporidium spp. than older animals. Household (13.9%; ?2?=?10.279, OR?=?2.6, P?=?0.008) and pet shop dogs (11.0%; ?2?=?7.182, OR?=?2.0, P?=?0.048) had higher occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp., as was the case for G. duodenalis occurrence in experimental dogs (13.4%; ?2?=?9.223, OR?=?1.9, P?=?0.017). Cryptosporidium canis (n?=?42), C. muris (n?=?1) and Cryptosporidium rat genotype IV (n?=?1) were identified in dogs, while C. felis (n?=?21), C. parvum (n?=?3), C. muris (n?=?1) and Cryptosporidium rat genotype IV (n?=?1) were identified in cats. In contrast, the canine-specific assemblages C (n?=?27) and D (n?=?26) and the feline-specific assemblage F (n?=?14) were almost exclusively the only genotypes of G. duodenalis in dogs and cats, respectively. There was no significant difference in infection rates of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis between diarrheal and non-diarrheal pets. CONCLUSIONS:While domestic pets in Guangdong are infected with zoonotic Cryptosporidium species, they are mainly infected with host-specific G. duodenalis genotypes. Risk factors for infections differ between Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis and between dogs and cats.
| S-EPMC6884805 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Canine and feline hookworm infection is endemic in many countries with zoonotic transmission representing a potentially significant public health concern. However, there is limited data available on the zoonotic transmission of canine and feline hookworms in China. This study was conducted to evaluate the zoonotic risk of Ancylostoma ceylanicum isolated from stray dogs and cats in Guangzhou, south China. Primer pairs CAF/CAR were designed to amplify complete ITS sequences of obtained A. ceylanicum. The results were compared with fourteen ITS reference sequences of human-derived A. ceylanicum registered in GenBank, and phylogenetic trees were established by using NJ and ML methods. The sequence similarity of three dog-derived and five cat-derived A. ceylanicum with fourteen human-derived A. ceylanicum were 96.8%~100% and 97.8%~100%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis placed A. ceylanicum isolated from dogs and cats in the same group with A. ceylanicum human isolates. Due to the ability of A. ceylanicum to cause a patent infection in humans, the zoonotic risk arising from dog and cat reservoirs to communities in this region should be determined.
| S-EPMC4024403 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundDifferent species of apicomplexan protozoans of the genera Hepatozoon and Cytauxzoon can infect domestic cats, but their epidemiology and clinical relevance are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to assess the molecular prevalence of Hepatozoon spp. and Cytauxzoon spp. and to identify associated risk factors and clinical and laboratory abnormalities in a population of cats from Madrid, Spain.MethodsSix hundred and forty-four client-owned and stray cats from Madrid, Spain, were included in this study. DNA samples were analyzed by two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to detect a partial sequence of the 18S rRNA gene of Hepatozoon spp. and Cytauxzoon spp. In order to evaluate possible associations between infection by these protozoans and epidemiological or clinical parameters, data were collected related to: the season of sample collection, age, gender, spayed/neutered status, breed, living area, lifestyle, outdoor access, contact with other animals, prey on wild animals, history of tick or flea infestation, travel history, ectoparasiticide treatment, previous blood transfusion, previous tetracycline administration in the last 60 days, Feline Leukemia virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency virus (FIV) status, positivity to other vector-borne diseases, the presence or absence of clinical signs and hematological or biochemical alterations.ResultsDNA of Hepatozoon spp. and Cytauxzoon sp. was amplified from the blood of 10 (1.6%) and 8 (1.2%) cats, respectively. Previous treatment with tetracyclines in the last 60 days, previous administration of blood transfusion, a decrease in haematocrit and an increase in creatinine were associated with Hepatozoon spp. infection. Cytauxzoon sp. infection was more frequent in samples collected during the winter months and in cats living in rural areas. This infection was associated with a FIV-positive status. Some of the cats that were positive for Hepatozoon spp. or Cytauxzoon sp. had been exposed to other vector-borne pathogens, such as Ehrlichia canis and Bartonella henselae.ConclusionsOur results indicate that cats from Madrid, central Spain, are infected with Hepatozoon spp. and Cytauxzoon sp., although with a low prevalence. Further studies are needed to determine the virulence of these agents in Spanish cats.
| S-EPMC5346831 | biostudies-literature
Project description:In dogs, the gastric Helicobacter spp. have been well studied, but there is little information regarding the other parts of the alimentary system. The incidence of Helicobacter spp. infection in dogs is largely unknown and to our knowledge there are no data about their potential pathogenic role. In light of these considerations, the aims of this study were (i) to assess the prevalence of Helicobacter spp. in colonic biopsies of healthy and symptomatic stray dogs also (ii) we isolate and characterize helicobacters in canine colonic biopsies to compare the commonly used tests for the identification of Helicobacter spp. and to determine the occurrence of these species in dogs.Tissues from fifteen stray dogs (8 males and 7 females, age 6 months -10 years) were used in this study. From each stray dog, multiple colonic biopsies were taken for PCR. Biopsies for PCR of cecum and colon were immediately frozen and stored at -20°C until DNA extraction. Samples for histological examination were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin and embedded in paraffin wax.In the cecum and colon, Helicobacter spp. DNA was detected in all dogs. H.canis, H.bizzozeronii, H. bilis, H.felis, H.salomonis and H.pylori Identified by specific polymerase chain reaction. Histopathology demonstrated that Helicobacter organisms were localized within the surface mucus and the intestinal crypts. Dogs with heavy Helicobacter spp. colonization were significantly in younger as well as had a higher level of mucosal fibrosis/atrophy than dogs with uncolonized or poorly colonized biopsies (p<0.05).We have indicated that the crypts of the cecum and colon of healthy and symptomatic dogs are heavily colonized by Helicobacter spp.. Combined molecular and histological approaches demonstrated that enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. infection is rather common in colonic biopsies of healthy and symptomatic stray dogs, with Helicobacter spp. specialy H. canis, H.bizzozeroni, H.billis, H.felis and H. salomonis identified as the most common species.The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1957989294118782.
| S-EPMC4045921 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Toxoplasma gondii and Toxocara spp. are the most critical parasites common between humans and cats. The close association of cats with humans in urban areas persuaded us to investigate the prevalence of these parasites in stray and household cats and their possible role in the owners' infection. Herein, 132 and 33 fecal samples of stray and household cats, respectively, and 33 blood samples of their owners were collected in Tehran, Iran. The prevalence of T. gondii was determined by targeting the B1 gene in the feces of stray and household cats and the blood of cat owners. Furthermore, genotypes of T. gondii were identified based on the multilocus genotyping of BTUB, GRA6, SAG3, and APICO loci. Toxocara spp. were detected by targeting the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of the ribosomal DNA of these parasites in the cats' feces and the humans' blood. Also, Toxocara IgG was assessed in the human serum samples. The B1 gene amplification showed that 15.2% of stray cats, 18.2% of household cats, and 51.5% of cat owners were infected with T. gondii. The multilocus sequence analysis revealed the predominance of genotype I of T. gondii in stray cats and genotype II of T. gondii in household cats and cat owners. The amplifying of ITS-2 revealed a high prevalence of T. cati infection (47.0%) in stray cats, whereas no infection was found in the feces of household cats or the serum of cat owners. Likewise, Toxocara IgG was not detected in the serum of humans. The lower prevalence of T. gondii in stray/household cats than in the cat owners indicates the limited impact of close contact with infected cats in human toxoplasmosis. However, the high prevalence of T. cati infection in stray cats can cause contamination of the environment by excreting eggs that may lead to infecting humans through soil or water. Therefore, public health education in urban management planning is necessary for routine urban cat deworming programs and for training the healthcare workers to prevent, control, and treat these infections.
| S-EPMC9257223 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of helminth eggs excreted in the faeces of stray cats, dogs and in soil samples. A total of 505 fresh samples of faeces (from 227 dogs and 152 cats) and soil were collected. The egg stage was detected via microscopy after the application of formalin-ether concentration technique. Genomic DNA was extracted from the samples containing hookworm eggs and used for further identification to the species level using real-time polymerase chain reaction coupled with high resolution melting analysis. Microscopic observation showed that the overall prevalence of helminth eggs among stray cats and dogs was 75.7% (95% CI = 71.2%-79.9%), in which 87.7% of dogs and 57.9% of cats were infected with at least one parasite genus. Five genera of heliminth eggs were detected in the faecal samples, including hookworms (46.4%), Toxocara (11.1%), Trichuris (8.4%), Spirometra (7.4%) and Ascaris (2.4%). The prevalence of helminth infections among stray dogs was significantly higher than that among stray cats (p < 0.001). Only three genera of helminths were detected in soil samples with the prevalence of 23% (95% CI = 15.1%-31%), consisting of hookworms (16.6%), Ascaris (4%) and Toxocara (2.4%). The molecular identification of hookworm species revealed that Ancylostoma ceylanicum was dominant in both faecal and soil samples. The dog hookworm, Ancylostoma caninum, was also detected among cats, which is the first such occurrence reported in Malaysia till date. This finding indicated that there was a cross-infection of A. caninum between stray cats and dogs because of their coexistent within human communities. Taken together, these data suggest the potential role of stray cats and dogs as being the main sources of environmental contamination as well as for human infections.
| S-EPMC4682862 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundEnterocytozoon bieneusi is a common opportunistic pathogen found in both humans and animals. As companion animals live in close contact with human being, they may act as a zoonotic reservoir and play an important role in transmitting this parasite to humans. We evaluated the prevalence, genotypic diversity and zoonotic potential of E. bieneusi in dogs and cats in eastern China during Apr to Dec 2013.MethodsFecal specimens from 315 dogs and 143 cats from veterinary hospitals in eastern China were examined in 2015 by internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-based PCR.ResultsE. bieneusi was detected in 8.6% of canine and in 1.4% of feline samples. Seven genotypes of E. bieneusi were identified, including four known genotypes (PtEb IX, EbpC, Type IV and D) and three novel genotypes, named CHD1, CHD2 and CHD3. The dominant genotype in dogs was PtEbIX (59.3%; n=16/27). Five (CHD1, EbpC, CHD2, D and Type IV) of the seven genotypes were in the so-called zoonotic group 1, whereas genotypes PtEbIX belonged to the dog-specific group and genotypes CHD3 were placed in group 2.ConclusionDogs are predominately infected with host-specific genotypes of E. bieneusi, and the finding of several zoonotic genotypes in dogs and cats reminds us of potentially zoonotic transmission of microsporidiosis.
| S-EPMC6243171 | biostudies-literature