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E chinococcus granulosus and other intestinal helminths: current status of prevalence and management in rural dogs of eastern A ustralia
Author(s) -
Jenkins DJ,
Lievaart JJ,
Boufana B,
Lett WS,
Bradshaw H,
ArmuaFernandez MT
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/avj.12218
Subject(s) - toxocara canis , echinococcus granulosus , veterinary medicine , taenia hydatigena , helminths , canis , deworming , biology , taenia , feces , echinococcus , echinococcosis , medicine , immunology , cestode infections , zoology , ecology
Objectives Ascertain the prevalence of intestinal helminths in rural dogs from eastern A ustralia and T asmania. Identify farm management practices contributing to the perpetuation and transmission of E chinococcus granulosus . Methods Helminth infection in dogs was determined microscopically through faecal flotation. Infection with E . granulosus was determined via faecal antigen‐capture ELISA and coproPCR . Taeniid eggs were identified using molecular methods. Data on dog management and owner understanding of hydatid disease were collected via questionnaire. Results Faeces were collected from 1425 Australian rural dogs (1119 mainland; 306 T asmania). Eggs of hookworms were most prevalent, up to 40.2%, followed by whipworms ( T richuris vulpis ), up to 21.2%. Roundworms ( T oxocara canis and T oxascaris leonine ) were least common, up to 6.1%. Taeniid eggs were found in 11 dogs (5 T aenia pisiformis ; 2 T . serialis ; 4 T . hydatigena ); 2 of the T . hydatigena ‐infected dogs were also E . granulosus coproantigen‐positive. Of the 45 dogs found to be E . granulosus coproantigen‐positive, 24 were in T asmania, 16 in NSW , 3 in Victoria and 2 in Q ueensland. Three Tasmanian coproantigen ELISA ‐positive dogs were also coproPCR ‐positive. The most common dog ration was commercial dry food, but half the owners fed raw meat to their dogs and some fed offal of lambs (8.9%) or mutton (7.8%). More than half (69%) of owners weighed their dogs before deworming. Few dewormed their dogs often enough to ensure they remained cestode‐free and owners hunting wildlife usually left carcases where they were shot. Conclusions E . granulosus is still present in Australian rural dogs, including T asmania, but at low levels. Owner behaviour perpetuates transmission of cestodes.