Prevalence of intestinal helminths in dogs and owners: Awareness of zoonotic diseases in a rural community in southwest Nigeria
1 Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion Science, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido- Ekiti, Nigeria.
2 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, Nigeria.
3 College of Medicine, Afe Babalola University, Ado – Ekiti, Nigeria.
Research Article
International Journal of Scientific Research Updates, 2022, 04(01), 047–056.
Article DOI: 10.53430/ijsru.2022.4.1.0052
Publication history:
Received on 28May 2022; revised on 15 June 2022; accepted on 17 June 2022
Abstract:
The overwhelming impact of zoonotic infections and its ease of transmission own to the cohabitation of man and some domestic pets is well recognizable, and though it is most often neglected its deleterious effect permeate every sphere of public health concern. Dog as the closest domestic pet to man presents a potential risk and acts as an agent of such interspecies transmission of infections to him. This study examined excrement of 97 dogs using the Formol- ether concentration technique. Four parasites species were identified with overall prevalence of 68%. Toxocaracanis was seen to be the most prevalent helminth (42.3%). Age (p= 0.002, ꭓ2 = 12.774) and mode of life (p= 0.021, ꭓ2 = 5.317) of the dogs were significant risk factors of helminthic infections, while gender and function of dogs were not. Dogs may play an active role in transmission of zoonotic diseases in the area, given the closeness of infected dogs with humans and the rampant excretion of helminth-infested dog excreta dispersed into the environment, hence, the need for the study.
Keywords:
Zoonoses; Helminths; Infections; Cohabitation
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