Prevalence of Zoonotic Helminthes in Domesticated Dogs in Northcentral Nigeria

Abstract

Dogs are the most common pet animals worldwide, providing companionship, security and a source of
dietary protein. Zoonotic helminthes of dogs is a global problem particularly in the developing countries and
these dogs, regardless of their benefits, pose a public health risk as they are potential carriers of some
pathogens. This study attempted to bridge the dearth of information on the prevalence of zoonotic
helminthes of domestic dogs in Bwari Area Council and to establish some of the risk factors that may be
associated with endoparasitism. Fecal samples were collected between April to July 2019 to determine the
prevalence of zoonotic helminthes in the area. A total of 210 dogs were sampled. Faecal samples were
examined using standard flotation and sedimentation techniques to examine for the presence of helminthes
ova. The overall prevalence of helminth parasites was 49.52%, and single helminth infections were as
follows: Ancylostoma caninum (30.48%), Toxocara canis (8.10%), Dipylidium caninum (6.19%), Trichuris
vulpis (3.81%) and Taenia spp (0.95%). In this study, mixed infections with more than one helminth parasite species were found in 16.34% of the cases. A strong association was observed between prevalence and age of the dogs, with younger dogs having higher rate of infection than older dogs. The presence of the zoonotic helminths indicates that dogs play an important epidemiological role as reservoirs of infections in the area. Moreover, routine treatment of dogs with anthelminthic drugs was not a common practice and
public awareness regarding parasites of zoonotic importance was limited. It was therefore recommended that the risk of acquiring parasitic infection transmitted by dogs could therefore be reduced if legislation on the restriction of stray dogs is formulated and enforced.