A Survey on Endoparasites and Ectoparasites of Stray Cats from Mashhad (Iran) and Association with Risk Factors

Overview

Journal J Parasit Dis

Specialty Parasitology

Date 2012 Oct 2

PMID 23024505

Citations 27

Authors

Hassan Borji

Gholamreza Razmi

Amin Ahmadi

Hamidreza Karami

Saeed Yaghfoori

Vali Abedi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

As there appeared to be no data available on parasite infection of stray cats in the region and considering the potential threat of stray cats for animal and public health, the present study was carried out using biological samples and necropsy finding collected from cats captured in Mashhad city in the northeast of Iran. From a total 52 stray cats examined, 18 (34.6%) were male and 34 (65.4%) were female. Ten species of endoparasites including helminthes and protozoa and two species of ectoparasites were detected in the examined cats. There were two protozoa, five cestodes, three nematodes and two arthropods. Overall 46 cats (88.46%) have been infected with at least one of the parasites. The following parasites, with their respective prevalence, were found; Nematoda: Toxocara cati 28.84%, Toxocara leonina 7.69%, Physaloptera praeputialis 3.84%; Cestoda: Dipylidium caninum 23.08%, Mesocestoides lineatus 13.46%, Taenia taeniaformis 9.6%, Joyeuxiella echinorhyncoides 7.6% and Taenia hydatigena 1.92%; Protozoa: I. felis 23.7%, Haemobartonella felis 1.92%; Arthropoda: Ctenocephalides felis 1.92% and Cheyletiella blakei 1.92%. Based on our data, there was no significant difference in infection rate between male and female animals. However, the age of the cats were found to be an important risk factor associated with parasitic infection. Our results revealed that zoonotic agents, namely T. cati were present in stray cat colonies in the investigated area. In this respect, appropriate control measures should be taken and it is recommended to determine the most appropriate preventive methods.

Citing Articles

Gastrointestinal Helminths in Wild Felids in the Cerrado and Pantanal: Zoonotic Bioindicators in Important Brazilian Biomes.

Moraes I, de Barros Silva V, de Andrade-Silva B, Gomes A, Urzedo N, Abolis V Animals (Basel). 2024; 14(11).

PMID: 38891670 PMC: 11171020. DOI: 10.3390/ani14111622.

Infection in Cats (): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Bonilla-Aldana J, Espinosa-Nunez A, Bonilla-Aldana D, Rodriguez-Morales A Animals (Basel). 2024; 14(7).

PMID: 38612261 PMC: 11011152. DOI: 10.3390/ani14071022.

Gastrointestinal helminths infection of free-roaming cats (Felis catus) in Southeast Iran.

Nourollahi Fard S, Akhtardanesh B, Sadr S, Khedri J, Radfar M, Shadmehr M Vet Med Sci. 2024; 10(3):e1422.

PMID: 38504628 PMC: 10951621. DOI: 10.1002/vms3.1422.

Parasites of Stray Cats in Iran: A Parasitological and Histopathological Study.

Ahmadi A, Oryan A, Alidadi S Acta Parasitol. 2024; 69(1):664-674.

PMID: 38319448 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-024-00800-7.

Redescription and resurrection of the status of () (Eucestoda, Dipylidiidae).

Schuster R, Mehmood N, Varcasia A, Veneziano V Helminthologia. 2023; 60(2):166-174.

PMID: 37745224 PMC: 10516474. DOI: 10.2478/helm-2023-0016.

References

Gates M, Nolan T . Endoparasite prevalence and recurrence across different age groups of dogs and cats. Vet Parasitol. 2009; 166(1-2):153-8. PMC: 2783654. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.07.041. View

Calvete C, Lucientes J, Castillo J, Estrada R, Gracia M, Peribanez M . Gastrointestinal helminth parasites in stray cats from the mid-Ebro Valley, Spain. Vet Parasitol. 1998; 75(2-3):235-40. DOI: 10.1016/s0304-4017(97)00182-9. View

Sharif M, Nasrolahei M, Ziapour S, Gholami S, Ziaei H, Daryani A . Toxocara cati infections in stray cats in northern Iran. J Helminthol. 2007; 81(1):63-6. DOI: 10.1017/S0022149X07214117. View

Spain C, Scarlett J, Wade S, McDonough P . Prevalence of enteric zoonotic agents in cats less than 1 year old in central New York State. J Vet Intern Med. 2001; 15(1):33-8. DOI: 10.1892/0891-6640(2001)015<0033:poezai>2.3.co;2. View

Mircean V, Titilincu A, Vasile C . Prevalence of endoparasites in household cat (Felis catus) populations from Transylvania (Romania) and association with risk factors. Vet Parasitol. 2010; 171(1-2):163-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.03.005. View

Robertson I, Thompson R . Enteric parasitic zoonoses of domesticated dogs and cats. Microbes Infect. 2002; 4(8):867-73. DOI: 10.1016/s1286-4579(02)01607-6. View

Akucewich L, Philman K, Clark A, Gillespie J, Kunkle G, Nicklin C . Prevalence of ectoparasites in a population of feral cats from north central Florida during the summer. Vet Parasitol. 2002; 109(1-2):129-39. DOI: 10.1016/s0304-4017(02)00205-4. View

Zakson M, Gregory L, Endris R, Shoop W . Effect of combing time on cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) recovery from dogs. Vet Parasitol. 1995; 60(1-2):149-53. DOI: 10.1016/0304-4017(94)00765-5. View

Milstein T, GOLDSMID J . Parasites of feral cats from southern Tasmania and their potential significance. Aust Vet J. 1997; 75(3):218-9. DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1997.tb10072.x. View

10.

Lappin M . Update on the diagnosis and management of Isospora spp infections in dogs and cats. Top Companion Anim Med. 2010; 25(3):133-5. DOI: 10.1053/j.tcam.2010.07.001. View

11.

Mendes-de-Almeida F, Crissiuma A, Gershony L, Willi L, Paiva J, Guerrero J . Characterization of ectoparasites in an urban cat (Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758) population of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Parasitol Res. 2010; 108(6):1431-5. DOI: 10.1007/s00436-010-2189-z. View

12.

Shaw J, Dunsmore J, Jakob-Hoff R . Prevalence of some gastrointestinal parasites in cats in the Perth area. Aust Vet J. 1983; 60(5):151-2. DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1983.tb05933.x. View

13.

Xhaxhiu D, Kusi I, Rapti D, Visser M, Knaus M, Lindner T . Ectoparasites of dogs and cats in Albania. Parasitol Res. 2009; 105(6):1577-87. DOI: 10.1007/s00436-009-1591-x. View

14.

Palmer C, Thompson R, Traub R, Rees R, Robertson I . National study of the gastrointestinal parasites of dogs and cats in Australia. Vet Parasitol. 2007; 151(2-4):181-90. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2007.10.015. View

15.

Krecek R, Moura L, Lucas H, Kelly P . Parasites of stray cats (Felis domesticus L., 1758) on St. Kitts, West Indies. Vet Parasitol. 2010; 172(1-2):147-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.04.033. View

16.

Prescott C . A survey for parasites in cats. Aust Vet J. 1982; 59(6):194. DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1982.tb16009.x. View

17.

Visco R, Corwin R, SELBY L . Effect of age and sex on the prevalence of intestinal parasitism in cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1978; 172(7):797-800. View

18.

Overgaauw P . Aspects of Toxocara epidemiology: toxocarosis in dogs and cats. Crit Rev Microbiol. 1997; 23(3):233-51. DOI: 10.3109/10408419709115138. View

19.

Sommerfelt I, Cardillo N, Lopez C, Ribicich M, Gallo C, Franco A . Prevalence of Toxocara cati and other parasites in cats' faeces collected from the open spaces of public institutions: Buenos Aires, Argentina. Vet Parasitol. 2006; 140(3-4):296-301. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.03.022. View

20.

Cardoso L, Lopes A, Sherry K, Schallig H, Solano-Gallego L . Low seroprevalence of Leishmania infantum infection in cats from northern Portugal based on DAT and ELISA. Vet Parasitol. 2010; 174(1-2):37-42. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.08.022. View