Gastrointestinal helminths of stray dogs in Erzurum province: Prevalence and risk to public health

KİRMAN R., AKYÜZ M., BALKAYA İ., GÜVEN E., AVCIOĞLU H., Doğan V.

Ankara Universitesi Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi, cilt.70, sa.3, ss.345-348, 2023 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 70 Sayı: 3
  • Basım Tarihi: 2023
  • Doi Numarası: 10.33988/auvfd.1082999
  • Dergi Adı: Ankara Universitesi Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, CAB Abstracts, EMBASE, Veterinary Science Database, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.345-348
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Feces Gastrointestinal Helminths, Stray Dog, Zoonoses
  • Atatürk Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Dogs play an important role in public health due to their close contact with humans. This study aimed to investigate the presence and prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in stray dogs in Erzurum province. Gastrointestinal helminth eggs were detected in 190 out of 446 (42.6%) dog fecal samples collected in Erzurum. More specifically, taeniid eggs (17.71%, 79/446), Toxocara canis (16.82%, 75/446), Toxascaris leonina (12.78%, 57/446), Linguatula spp. (4.48%, 20/446), Alaria spp. (2.91%, 13/446), hookworms (2.69%, 12/446), spiny-headed worms (1.12%, 5/446), and Trichuris spp. (0.22%, 1/446) eggs were identified. These findings indicate zoonotic parasites to be common in stray dogs in Erzurum. The public health risk associated with the presence of these zoonotic parasites can be reduced through the regular deworming of stray dogs, the prevention of environmental contamination with dog feces, and the adequate enforcement of sanitation protocols.