One Health Research Group, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de las Américas (UDLA), Quito, Ecuador.
Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas (FICA), Biotecnología, Universidad de las Américas (UDLA), Quito, Ecuador.
Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports. 2023 May;40:100859. doi: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100859. Epub 2023 Mar 20.
Free-roaming dogs are highly exposed to a range of zoonotic parasites, including helminths, which can be transmitted to humans, particularly in rural tropical settings of developing countries. To evidence the diversity and prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in the stools of free-roaming dogs on the public Pacific coastal beaches of Ecuador, a cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2021 to August 2022. The sampling beaches are located along the tropical Pacific coastal region. Stools were collected from the ground in containers with 10% formalin and processed using the Ritchie method; eggs were identified under a microscope. A total of 573 stools were examined from 20 beaches; the overall prevalence was 157 (27.4%) for one or more helminths. Ten parasites were identified, nine of which are potentially zoonotic. Ancylostoma spp. was the most prevalent (19.4%), followed by Toxocara spp. (7.2%). Trichuris spp., Dipylidium caninum, Diphyllobothrium spp., Capillaria spp., Dicrocoelium spp., Heterobilharzia americana, Hymenolepis spp. and Spirocerca spp. were also observed. Five of them are reported for the first-time infecting dogs in Ecuador. Hence, we evidenced that Ecuadorian beaches are highly contaminated with the dogs' zoonotic gastrointestinal helminths, posing a great risk to public health. Differences in the presence and prevalence were found in samples of tropical humid and dry climate zones. Therefore, based on our findings, we encourage the implementation of broad antiparasitic treatment and prevention strategies to reduce the zoonotic risk.
自由放养的狗高度暴露于多种人畜共患寄生虫,包括蠕虫,这些寄生虫可以传播给人类,特别是在发展中国家的农村热带地区。为了证明厄瓜多尔公共太平洋沿海海滩上自由放养狗粪便中胃肠道蠕虫的多样性和流行率,我们进行了一项横断面研究,时间为 2021 年 8 月至 2022 年 8 月。采样海滩位于热带太平洋沿海地区。从地面收集粪便,放入装有 10%福尔马林的容器中,并使用 Ritchie 法进行处理;在显微镜下鉴定虫卵。从 20 个海滩共检查了 573 份粪便;一种或多种蠕虫的总流行率为 157 例(27.4%)。鉴定出 10 种寄生虫,其中 9 种具有潜在的人畜共患性。旋毛虫(Ancylostoma spp.)最为常见(19.4%),其次是弓首蛔虫(Toxocara spp.)(7.2%)。还观察到鞭虫(Trichuris spp.)、犬复孔绦虫(Dipylidium caninum)、阔节裂头绦虫(Diphyllobothrium spp.)、毛细线虫(Capillaria spp.)、双腔吸虫(Dicrocoelium spp.)、美洲双腔吸虫(Heterobilharzia americana)、膜壳绦虫(Hymenolepis spp.)和旋尾线虫(Spirocerca spp.)。其中有 5 种是首次在厄瓜多尔感染狗的寄生虫。因此,我们证明厄瓜多尔海滩受到狗的人畜共患胃肠道蠕虫的高度污染,对公共卫生构成巨大威胁。在热带湿润和干燥气候带的样本中发现了存在和流行率的差异。因此,基于我们的发现,我们鼓励实施广泛的驱虫治疗和预防策略,以降低人畜共患病的风险。