<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The present work was designed to evaluate the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites and some vector-borne pathogens in dogs in Bulgaria. A total of 172 owned dogs, keeping outside, were included in the study. Fecal samples were examined using standard flotation and sedimentation methods. Blood samples were processed by Knott’s technique, SNAP™ 4Dx Plus Test (IDEXX) and Angio Detect™ Test (IDEXX). The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was 64.5%. Eggs of hookworms (<italic>Ancylostoma</italic> sp. and <italic>Uncinaria</italic> sp.) were the most frequently detected (54.1%), followed by <italic>Trichuris vulpis</italic> (15.1%), <italic>Capillaria</italic> sp. (11.0%), <italic>Toxocara canis</italic> (6.4%), <italic>Cystoisospora</italic> sp. (4.1%), <italic>Sarcocystis</italic> sp. (2.3%), <italic>Toxascaris leonina</italic> (1.7%), <italic>Taenia</italic> sp. (1.2%) and <italic>Linguatula serrata</italic> (0.6%). In addition, hookworms were the most commonly involved in the cases of single infection (20.3%). Combinations between <italic>Capillaria</italic> sp./hookworms and <italic>T. vulpis</italic>/hookworms were the most common co-infections (4.1% and 2.9%, respectively). Blood samples revealed the presence of antibodies against <italic>Ehrlichia</italic> sp. (13.4%), <italic>Anaplasma</italic> sp. (13.4%) and <italic>Borrelia burgdorferi</italic> (1.7%). Antigens of <italic>Dirofilaria immitis</italic> and <italic>Angiostrongylus vasorum</italic> were detected in 10.5% and 0.6% of the samples tested, respectively. Microfilariae of <italic>Dirofilaria repens</italic> were found in 5.8% of the blood samples. Additionally, the prevalence of <italic>D. immitis</italic> and <italic>Ehrlichia</italic> sp. was significantly higher in adult than in young dogs (p&lt;0.05). In contrast, the gender was not considered as a risk factor contributing to the occurrence of infections.</p></abstract>

The present work was designed to evaluate the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites and some vector-borne pathogens in dogs in Bulgaria. A total of 172 owned dogs, keeping outside, were included in the study. Fecal samples were examined using standard flotation and sedimentation methods. Blood samples were processed by Knott’s technique, SNAP™ 4Dx Plus Test (IDEXX) and Angio Detect™ Test (IDEXX). The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was 64.5%. Eggs of hookworms (Ancylostoma sp. and Uncinaria sp.) were the most frequently detected (54.1%), followed by Trichuris vulpis (15.1%), Capillaria sp. (11.0%), Toxocara canis (6.4%), Cystoisospora sp. (4.1%), Sarcocystis sp. (2.3%), Toxascaris leonina (1.7%), Taenia sp. (1.2%) and Linguatula serrata (0.6%). In addition, hookworms were the most commonly involved in the cases of single infection (20.3%). Combinations between Capillaria sp./hookworms and T. vulpis/hookworms were the most common co-infections (4.1% and 2.9%, respectively). Blood samples revealed the presence of antibodies against Ehrlichia sp. (13.4%), Anaplasma sp. (13.4%) and Borrelia burgdorferi (1.7%). Antigens of Dirofilaria immitis and Angiostrongylus vasorum were detected in 10.5% and 0.6% of the samples tested, respectively. Microfilariae of Dirofilaria repens were found in 5.8% of the blood samples. Additionally, the prevalence of D. immitis and Ehrlichia sp. was significantly higher in adult than in young dogs (p<0.05). In contrast, the gender was not considered as a risk factor contributing to the occurrence of infections.

Preliminary study on the prevalence of endoparasite infections and vector-borne diseases in outdoor dogs in Bulgaria

Helminthologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

The present work was designed to evaluate the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites and some vector-borne pathogens in dogs in Bulgaria. A total of 172...

Preliminary study on the prevalence of endoparasite infections and vector-borne diseases in outdoor dogs in Bulgaria

Article Category: Research Note

Published Online: May 23, 2020

Page range: 171 - 178

Received: Nov 22, 2019

Accepted: Dec 26, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2020-0016

Keywords
prevalence, dogs, gastrointestinal parasites, Bulgaria

© 2020 P. T. Iliev, Z. T. Kirkova, A. S. Tonev, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Preliminary study on the prevalence of endoparasite infections and vector-borne diseases in outdoor dogs in Bulgaria

Article Category: Research Note

Published Online: May 23, 2020

Page range: 171 - 178

Received: Nov 22, 2019

Accepted: Dec 26, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2020-0016

Keywordsprevalence, dogs, gastrointestinal parasites, Bulgaria

© 2020 P. T. Iliev, Z. T. Kirkova, A. S. Tonev, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
prevalence, dogs, gastrointestinal parasites, Bulgaria