Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
A study of the prevalence and genotypes of Giardia duodenalis infecting kennelled dogs.
- Journal:
- Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
- Year:
- 2009
- Authors:
- Scaramozzino, Paola et al.
- Affiliation:
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana · Italy
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at the presence of a parasite called Giardia duodenalis in dogs at kennels in Rome. This parasite can spread through contaminated feces, so dogs in crowded and dirty conditions are more likely to get it. The researchers found that about 20.5% of the dogs tested had Giardia, especially younger dogs and those in the largest kennel with many dogs coming and going. While Giardia was more common in dogs with diarrhea, it was also found in healthy dogs. The study suggests that although most of the Giardia found was specific to dogs and not likely to infect humans, the higher rates in younger dogs could still be a concern since these dogs are often adopted by families.
Abstract
Giardia duodenalis is a protozoan parasite of animals that is zoonotic. Given the capacity of this organism to spread via the faecal-oral route, animals held in overcrowded and unhygienic conditions are at high risk of infection. Faecal samples from dogs in three kennels in Rome were examined by microscopy and PCR for G. duodenalis, and the prevalence data generated were correlated with variables such as kennel identity, age of dog, length of time the dog had been kennelled and clinical signs. The overall prevalence of the parasite in the faecal samples was 20.5% and was higher in samples from the largest kennel, which had the greatest turnover of dogs, and in faecal samples from younger animals. Giardia cysts were found more frequently in diarrhoeic animals but were also found in dogs with no clinical signs. Although the finding that the majority of isolates were dog-specific rather than zoonotic genotypes suggests that the zoonotic risk from this pathogen is less than previously thought, the higher prevalence of infection in younger dogs may pose a specific public health issue as such animals are more frequently re-homed with families.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18715807/