Department of Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt.
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt.
Vet Med Sci. 2023 Nov;9(6):2475-2484. doi: 10.1002/vms3.1228. Epub 2023 Sep 29.
Dogs are the most popular pet animals worldwide, and their frequent and close contact with humans poses an increased risk of zoonotic parasite transmission. Toxocara canis infection is a highly pervasive and economically significant zoonotic infection transmitted by dogs worldwide, commonly in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in developing countries.
This study evaluates the epidemiological profile and associated risk factors of T. canis exposure among humans and T. canis infection in domestic dogs in two climatically different governorates in Egypt.
Faecal samples from 360 domiciled dogs were examined using the flotation technique to detect T. canis eggs. In addition, 276 human serum samples were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay over a period of 10 months from May 2021 to February 2022 in the Alexandria and Qena Governorates, Egypt.
Shedding of T. canis was identified in 33.33% (120/360) of dogs and the overall seroprevalence in the human population was 20.65% (57/276). Lower Egypt, represented by the Alexandria Governorate, had higher canine infection (39.47%) and human seropositivity (29.87%) rates than those of Upper Egypt, represented by Qena Governorate (26.47% and 9.02% in dogs and humans, respectively). Statistical analysis of the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants revealed that handwashing, washing of vegetables and fruits and sex were associated with human T. canis exposure.
The prevalence rates of confirmed T. canis infection in the Egyptian dogs population and the associated human seropositivity rates reflect its importance as a public health concern and support the call to increase public awareness of this issue. The risk factors identified in this study can contribute to the development of more effective control and prevention strategies.
狗是全球最受欢迎的宠物动物，它们频繁且密切的与人类接触增加了人畜共患寄生虫传播的风险。犬弓首蛔虫感染是一种广泛存在且具有重要经济意义的人畜共患感染，由全球的犬传播，常见于热带和亚热带地区，特别是发展中国家。
本研究评估了埃及两个气候不同省份的人群犬弓首蛔虫暴露的流行病学特征和相关危险因素，以及犬弓首蛔虫感染情况。
用漂浮法检查 360 只圈养犬的粪便样本，以检测犬弓首蛔虫卵。此外，在埃及亚历山大省和盖纳省，2021 年 5 月至 2022 年 2 月期间，对 276 名人类血清样本进行了为期 10 个月的酶联免疫吸附试验评估。
发现 360 只犬中有 33.33%（120/360）有犬弓首蛔虫卵排出，人群总血清阳性率为 20.65%（57/276）。以下埃及，以亚历山大省为代表，犬感染率（39.47%）和人群血清阳性率（29.87%）高于上埃及，以盖纳省为代表（犬和人分别为 26.47%和 9.02%）。对参与者的社会人口统计学特征进行统计分析发现，洗手、清洗蔬菜和水果以及性别与人类犬弓首蛔虫暴露有关。
埃及犬群中确诊犬弓首蛔虫感染的流行率以及相关的人群血清阳性率反映了其作为公共卫生关注问题的重要性，并支持了提高公众对此问题认识的呼吁。本研究确定的危险因素有助于制定更有效的控制和预防策略。
