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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

How common is Giardia in household cats in Romania and what raises

By Mircean, Viorica et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2011·University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed

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Original publication title: Prevalence of Giardia species in stool samples by ELISA in household cats from Romania and risk factors.

Species:
cat
Stomach & digestionCats

Plain-English summary

In a study of 183 cats in Romania, nearly 28% tested positive for Giardia, a parasite that can cause diarrhea. The risk was notably higher in cats with diarrhea, especially those under six months old. Factors like gender, breed, and living conditions did not seem to affect the likelihood of infection. If your cat is experiencing diarrhea, especially if they are young, it may be worth discussing a Giardia test with your veterinarian. Treatment options are available to help manage the infection and improve your cat's health.

People also search for: cat diarrhea causes · Giardia treatment for cats · young cat with diarrhea · how to test for Giardia in cats

Abstract

Stool samples (n=183) collected in Romania from cats of different ages, gender, breed, living conditions and origin were analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using a commercial kit (Giardia Microwell ELISA, SafePath Laboratories, Carlsbad, USA). Fifty-one cats (27.9%) presented Giardia duodenalis antigens. The prevalence was significantly higher in cats with diarrhoea (32%, 16/50; P=0.04) and in cats from the north-west region (36.7%, 29/79; P=0.05). Young age (up to 6 months) was identified as the risk factor for infection (OR=0.29, 95% CI 0.09-0.92; P=0.03). There weren't any significant differences associated with gender, breed, medium, lifestyle, associated parasite infections, anthelmintic treatments, type of food or season.

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Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21334236/