Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Giardia parasite common in adult dogs in southern Mexico City
By Ponce-Macotela, Martha et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology·2005·Laboratorio de Parasitologí·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Giardia intestinalis and other zoonotic parasites: prevalence in adult dogs from the southern part of Mexico City.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that many adult dogs in Mexico City carry a parasite called Giardia intestinalis, which can cause diarrhea and other digestive issues. Researchers examined stray dogs and discovered that the number of dogs infected with Giardia was higher in the summer compared to winter. They also found other parasites like Ancylostoma and Toxocara in these dogs. This highlights the importance of keeping areas where dogs roam clean to prevent the spread of these parasites to humans.
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Abstract
The protozoan Giardia intestinalis is a mammalian-infecting parasite. It produces diarrhoea and malabsorption in its hosts. There is growing evidence that dogs could be reservoirs and play an important role in transmission. In Mexico, there are few data on the frequency of G. intestinalis. Therefore, we studied the small intestine of stray dogs, euthanazed at the "Culhuacan" Control Canine Centre, towards the end of 1997 and during the summer of 1998. We microscopically analysed intestinal contents and mucus samples taken every 3cm. During the cold season (winter), parasites were not found in 38/100 dogs, in contrast to 8/100 through the warm season. We found that 42/100 in winter and 51/100 in summer harboured G. intestinalis. To our knowledge, these G. intestinalis frequencies are the highest found in adult dogs worldwide. The results showed a rise in Ancylostoma spp. from 23/100 to 67/100 during the cold and warm seasons. Toxocara canis frequencies varied between 12/100 and 18/100, respectively. The data suggest that the probability of infection is higher during the hottest months compared to the coldest months of the year. Both puppies and adult dogs are highly infected. Dogs are reservoirs for zoonotic parasites; for this reason, it is imperative for humans to avoid fecal contamination in streets, public gardens and parks.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15927399/