Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Oral trichomonad parasites found in dogs and cats in East China
By Gui, Li-Qin et al.·Published in Acta parasitologica·2025·College of Animal Science, China·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: First Report of the Molecular Prevalence of Trichomonads from Oral Cavities in Household Dogs and Cats in East China.
Plain-English summary
A study found that about 2.8% of pet dogs and cats in East China had oral trichomonads, a type of parasite that can live in the mouth. Specifically, 2.6% of the dogs and 3.0% of the cats tested positive for these parasites. The researchers identified two species, T. tenax and T. brixi, in the pets. While the overall infection rates were low, the presence of these parasites raises concerns about potential transmission between pets and their owners. Pet owners should be aware of this possibility and consult their veterinarian if they notice any unusual symptoms in their pets.
People also search for: dog oral parasites · cat mouth infection · T. tenax in pets · zoonotic diseases in dogs and cats · pet health concerns
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Recently, several trichomonads species including Trichomonas tenax, Trichomonas brixi and Tetratrichomonas sp. have been found in the oral cavities in dogs and cats. Although the number of dogs and cats is rapidly increasing in China, the prevalence and zoonotic potential of oral trichomonads in dogs and cats remains unclear. PURPOSE: This study investigated the molecular prevalence of oral trichomonads in pet dogs and cats in East China using molecular methods. METHODS: A total of 386 dogs and 497 cats from five pet clinics in Anhui Province and Shanghai city were determined in terms of the occurrence and species distribution of oral trichomonads using the PCR amplification and sequence of ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2 region. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of oral trichomonads in dogs and cats in this study was 2.8% (25/883), with infection rates of 2.6% (10/386) in dogs and 3.0% (15/497) in cats. Initial evaluation of potential risk factors found no significant difference in prevalence of oral trichomonads between age and gender form tested dogs or cats. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analyses revealed the presence of T. tenax and T. brixi in pet dogs and cats in East China. CONCLUSION: The present work represents the first report about the prevalence and zoonotic potential of oral trichomonads in dogs and cats in China. Considering the zoonotic potential of T. tenax, the huge population of companion animals in China, and the close relationship between owners and companion animals, transmission between humans and domestic animals should be taken into consideration.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40506568/