Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Giardia infection rates and types in kennelled dogs in Rome
By Scaramozzino, Paola et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2009·Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A study of the prevalence and genotypes of Giardia duodenalis infecting kennelled dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs in kennels in Rome was tested for a parasite called Giardia, which can cause diarrhea and is spread through contaminated feces. About 20.5% of the dogs had Giardia, with younger dogs and those in busier kennels being more likely to be infected. While Giardia was often found in dogs with diarrhea, it was also present in some healthy dogs. Most of the Giardia strains were specific to dogs, meaning the risk to humans is lower than previously thought, but the higher infection rate in younger dogs could still be a concern for families adopting pets.
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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 on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18715807/