Article
Veterinary Sciences
Ibrahim Abbas, Moustafa Al-Araby, Bassem Elmishmishy, El-Sayed El-Alfy
Summary: This study reports the presence of gastrointestinal parasite infections in the feces of stray cats from Gharbia governorate, Egypt. Meta-analyses revealed that the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in Egyptian cat feces may have been overestimated in earlier studies. Additionally, the prevalence of Toxocara cati in cats from Egypt is higher than globally reported, but its impact on human toxocarosis has been neglected in some reports.
BMC VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Anja Joachim, Valerie Auersperg, Joel Druee, Sandra Wiedermann, Barbara Hinney, Joachim Spergser
Summary: Due to their close associations with humans, dogs and cats can serve as important reservoirs for zoonotic pathogens. This study examined fecal samples of dogs and cats from animal shelters in Carinthia, Austria for parasites and bacteria. The results showed a high prevalence of parasites, including potentially zoonotic genotypes, and zoonotic bacteria in the samples, indicating the risk of zoonotic transmission. Diagnostic measures, hygiene, therapy, and training of shelter staff are recommended to prevent transmission to staff or new owners.
RESEARCH IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Vamilton Alvares Santarem, Fernando Rodrigo Doline, Isabella Braghin Ferreira, Joao Henrique Farinhas, Leandro Meneguelli Biondo, Roberto Teixeira de Souza Filho, Christina Pettan-Brewer, Rogerio Giuffrida, Susana Angelica Zevallos Lescano, Andrea Pires dos Santos, Louise Bach Kmetiuk, Alexander Welker Biondo
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence of Toxocara spp. infection in Brazilian indigenous populations using the One Health approach. The results showed a high seroprevalence of Toxocara spp. antibodies in both indigenous individuals and healthcare professionals, with poor infrastructure and contact with contaminated river water as associated risk factors. Soil contamination with Toxocara spp. was also observed, and full-time healthcare professionals had a higher risk of infection.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Julia Jarosova, Daniela Antolova, Branislav Lukac, Aladar Mad'ari
Summary: Dogs are the most popular pets globally, but they pose a risk of transmitting zoonotic parasites due to close contact with humans. A study in Slovakia analyzed the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in different groups of dogs from 2016 to 2021, revealing a correlation between intestinal helminth occurrence and the availability of veterinary care. Dogs from Roma settlements and shelters showed the highest infection rates, while working dogs were in the best health condition with the lowest infection rate. Regular deworming and preventive measures are essential to control the frequent occurrence of zoonotic parasites.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Isabel Guadano Procesi, Azzurra Carnio, Federica Berrilli, Margherita Montalbano Di Filippo, Alessia Scarito, Cristina Amoruso, Marco Barni, Marco Ruffini, Giulia Barlozzari, Manuela Scarpulla, Claudio De Liberato
Summary: The study detected and analyzed the genetic characteristics of G. duodenalis in colony stray cats in central Italy, revealing a surprisingly high prevalence of 35.3% in cats, with all positive cats being infected with zoonotic assemblages/sub-assemblages. This suggests that stray cats may serve as a possible source of human giardiasis and emphasizes the importance of cat colonies in the study area in terms of public health.
ZOONOSES AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Review
Parasitology
Jiayu Li, Una Ryan, Yaqiong Guo, Yaoyu Feng, Lihua Xiao
Summary: The use of molecular tools has identified several zoonotic Cryptosporidium species in dogs and cats, including C. canis, C. felis and C. parvum. Research suggests possible zoonotic transmission of Cryptosporidium species between pets and humans, but specific cases are limited and the cross-species transmission remains controversial.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Poorya Karimi, Soheila Shafaghi-Sisi, Ahmad Reza Meamar, Gelareh Nasiri, Elham Razmjou
Summary: A study conducted in Tehran, Iran, investigated the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Toxocara spp. in stray and household cats, as well as their potential impact on human infection. Results showed a higher infection rate of T. gondii, predominantly genotype I in stray cats and genotype II in household cats and cat owners, while Toxocara infection was more common in stray cats. Public health education and urban cat deworming programs are essential in preventing and controlling these infections.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Sofia Anastacio, Samuel Anjos, Suzi Neves, Tiago Neves, Pedro Esteves, Helder Craveiro, Bruno Madeira, Maria Dos Anjos Pires, Sergio Sousa, Gabriela da Silva, Hugo Vilhena
Summary: This study investigated the infection of C. burnetii in dogs, cats, and ticks in Portugal. The results showed a decrease in the exposure to C. burnetii in cats and dogs, with rural habitats favoring the infection. Additionally, no C. burnetii DNA was detected in ticks from the tested samples.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Bogumila M. Pilarczyk, Agnieszka K. Tomza-Marciniak, Renata Pilarczyk, Izabella Rzad, Malgorzata J. Bakowska, Jan M. Udala, Agnieszka Tylkowska, Viktoriia Havryliak
Summary: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and intensity of internal parasites infection in raccoon dogs, with a focus on specific helminth species dangerous to humans. The study found that raccoon dogs from northern Poland serve as reservoir hosts for zoonotic pathogens, including Echinococcus multilocularis, Toxocara canis, and Alaria alata.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Giuliano Borriello, Jacopo Guccione, Antonio Di Loria, Antonio Bosco, Paola Pepe, Francesco Prisco, Giuseppe Cringoli, Orlando Paciello, Laura Rinaldi, Paolo Ciaramella
Summary: Cystic echinococcosis caused by tapeworm larvae is a parasitic zoonosis with liver ultrasound as the gold standard for diagnosis. Control programs against E. granulosus require long-term integrated approaches and significant resources. The disease results in severe economic losses, with liver ultrasound being the best option for diagnosis in lighter sheep breeds.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Barbara Hinney, Anja Joachim
Summary: Effective control of dog and cat helminths is crucial for animal and public health. Animal owners should be informed about the potential zoonotic transmission of these parasites, and veterinarians play a key role in risk assessment and owner consultation.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Egil A. J. Fischer, Els M. M. Broens, Hans S. S. Kooistra, Myrna M. T. De Rooij, Jan Arend Stegeman, Mart C. M. De Jong
Summary: The study estimated the basic and partial reproduction numbers for SARS-CoV-2 by reanalyzing a survey of Dutch households with dogs and cats. The results showed a clear correlation between the number of cats in a household and the basic reproduction number. The study suggested the possibility of transmission between companion animals and humans, but the observational nature of the study limited the ability to establish conclusive evidence.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Paulina Sepulveda-Garcia, Amir Alabi, Karla Alvarez, Lisbeth Rojas, Armin Mella, Luiz Ricardo Goncalves, Marcos Rogerio Andre, Rosangela Zacarias Machado, Ananda Muller, Gustavo Monti
Summary: The aim of this study was to estimate the occurrence of Bartonella spp. in cats and their owners in Valdivia, Chile. The study found that 20.43% of households had at least one Bartonella positive cat, but Bartonella DNA was not found in the blood samples of humans. Risk factors for Bartonella spp. presence in cats included age, neutering status, sampling location, and improper tick/flea control products.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jonathon D. Kotwa, Tyler Greer, Claire M. Jardine, J. Scott Weese, Mats Isaksson, David L. Pearl, Olaf Berke, Nicola Mercer, Andrew S. Peregrine
Summary: Prior to 2012, Echinococcus multilocularis was not known to occur in any host in Ontario, Canada. Since then, cases have been diagnosed in dogs and wild canids in the region. A study on 479 dogs revealed no presence of E. multilocularis DNA in fecal samples from the high-risk infection cluster.
ZOONOSES AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Sara R. R. Healy, Eric R. R. Morgan, Joaquin M. M. Prada, Martha Betson
Summary: This study investigated the presence of Toxocara spp. eggs on spinach grown on commercial farms in the UK. The results showed that 23% of the samples tested positive for T. canis and 1.7% for T. cati. This highlights the importance of thorough washing of vegetables and implementing effective farm biosecurity measures to reduce the risk of contamination.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Katharina May, Katharina Raue, Katrin Blazejak, Daniela Jordan, Christina Strube
Summary: This study investigated the long-term effect of pasture rewetting on endoparasite infections in sheep and cattle and found that pasture rewetting did not increase the probability of endoparasite infection in ruminants. Interestingly, the infection of Fasciola hepatica showed a significant decrease during the study period.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
C. Constancis, C. Chartier, M. Leligois, N. Brisseau, N. Bareille, C. Strube, N. Ravinet
Summary: The rearing system of dairy calves with nurse cows in organic farms in western France has shown to be effective in minimizing gastrointestinal and lungworm infections. This system allows cow-calf contact until the natural weaning age and promotes a mixed grazing season, resulting in low infection levels and minimal coughing episodes.
VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Simon Rohner, Peter Wohlsein, Ellen Prenger-Berninghoff, Christa Ewers, Patrick Waindok, Christina Strube, Christine Baechlein, Paul Becher, Dunja Wilmes, Volker Rickerts, Ursula Siebert
Summary: Working with dead otters can provide valuable insights for population health investigations. In Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, most of the dead otters found were males aged between 1-3 years with good nutritional status. Roadkill was a major cause of death, and post-mortem investigations are essential for analyzing potential trends and establishing a monitoring program for Eurasian otters in the region.
Article
Microbiology
Anna-Katharina Topp, Andrea Springer, Gerhard Dobler, Malena Bestehorn-Willmann, Masyar Monazahian, Christina Strube
Summary: A study in Lower Saxony, Germany, investigated the occurrence of TBEV in questing ticks and found a previously unknown transmission focus, while confirming ongoing virus circulation at four other locations. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the circulation of two different virus strains with different origins in identified natural foci.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Uta Alstedt, Katja Voigt, Miriam Carmen Jaeger, Gabriela Knubben-Schweizer, Yury Zablotski, Christina Strube, Christoph Wenzel
Summary: This study investigated the distribution and prevalence of rumen and liver flukes in sheep and goats in Germany. It found that rumen flukes were more common in the north, while liver flukes were more common in the south. Mixed grazing with other ruminants and previous infections with flukes were identified as predictors for the parasitosis. This study is important for the prevention and control of parasite infections.
Review
Microbiology
Anna Bajer, Ana Beck, Relja Beck, Jerzy M. Behnke, Dorota Dwuznik-Szarek, Ramon M. Eichenberger, Robert Farkas, Hans-Peter Fuehrer, Mike Heddergott, Pikka Jokelainen, Michael Leschnik, Valentina Oborina, Algimantas Paulauskas, Jana Radzijevskaja, Renate Ranka, Manuela Schnyder, Andrea Springer, Christina Strube, Katarzyna Tolkacz, Julia Walochnik
Summary: There is growing evidence of an emerging infectious disease in Europe called babesiosis, which is spreading due to the increasing range of tick vectors. The incidence of babesiosis is increasing in both humans and animals, and the situation requires extensive monitoring and a One Health approach.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Katja Voigt, Maximilian Geiger, Miriam Carmen Jaeger, Gabriela Knubben-Schweizer, Christina Strube, Yury Zablotski
Summary: Parasitic worms pose a major threat to the health and production of sheep and goats globally, with many worms developing resistance to common drugs. A study in Germany evaluated the effectiveness of treatments against gastrointestinal nematodes, finding reduced efficacy for all available drugs. The high percentage of treatment failures is concerning, highlighting the need for alternative methods of worm control to prevent further deterioration.
Article
Parasitology
Sarina Koehler, Andrea Springer, Nicole Issel, Stefanie Klinger, Michael Wendt, Gerhard Breves, Christina Strube
Summary: This study found that infection of Ascaris suum has a negative impact on intestinal nutrient transport in pigs, with significant downregulation of certain transcription factors and transporter proteins in the jejunum. On the other hand, A. suum antigens mainly induced an upregulation of transport processes, particularly in the duodenum and jejunum.
Article
Zoology
Frederik Kiene, Andrea Springer, Bertrand Andriatsitohaina, Malcolm S. Ramsay, Romule Rakotondravony, Christina Strube, Ute Radespiel
Summary: The relevance of emerging infectious diseases is increasing worldwide, particularly on the island of Madagascar. Lemurs, as close relatives of humans on the island, play a significant role in the potential transmission of zoonotic pathogens. However, there is limited knowledge about the pathogens circulating in lemur populations, particularly lemur hemoparasites. This study conducted blood sample examinations on various lemur and rodent species in northwestern Madagascar, revealing the presence of a pathogenic nematode species but not the previously described hemoparasite Lemurfilaria lemuris. These findings highlight the lack of knowledge on lemur hemoparasites and call for further research in conservation medicine and human epidemiology.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Daniela Hauck, Katharina Raue, Katrin Blazejak, Rita M. Hanna, David A. Elsemore, Nikola Pantchev, Christina Strube
Summary: The study evaluated the ability of three different antigen detection methods to identify roundworm and hookworm infections in cats and Uncinaria stenocephala infections in dogs, as well as monitoring the course of infection.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Antje Glass, Andrea Springer, Marie -Kristin Raulf, Volker Fingerle, Christina Strube
Summary: The prevalence of Borrelia infection in ticks has remained stable in Hanover, Germany over a 15-year period. However, there have been shifts in the distribution of different Borrelia species, which may alter the epidemiological risk.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Cara Leonie Ebert, Lars Soeder, Mareike Kubinski, Julien Glanz, Eva Gregersen, Katrin Duemmer, Domenic Grund, Ann-Sophie Woehler, Laura Koenenkamp, Katrin Liebig, Steffen Knoll, Fanny Hellhammer, Anna-Katharina Topp, Paul Becher, Andrea Springer, Christina Strube, Uschi Nagel-Kohl, Marcel Nordhoff, Imke Steffen, Benjamin Ulrich Bauer, Martin Ganter, Karsten Feige, Stefanie C. Becker, Mathias Boelke
Summary: The newly discovered group of Jingmenviruses, known as Alongshan virus (ALSV), has been found to infect a wide range of hosts and cause febrile illness in humans. ALSV was identified in Ixodes spp. ticks in Lower Saxony, Germany, and further studies confirmed its replication in those tick species. The virus was also observed to be transmitted during blood feeding in laboratory experiments with ALSV-injected Ixodes ricinus. Serological investigations in wildlife and domestic animals in Lower Saxony revealed the presence of ALSV-specific antibodies, indicating frequent exposure to the virus. These findings highlight the potential risk of ALSV to human and animal health, emphasizing the need for further research.
Article
Parasitology
Vanessa Ruester, Alina Kathrin Lueckemann, Margareta Wittmann, Christina Strube, Thomas Bartels
Summary: This case report describes the successful control of poultry red mite infestations in an experimental laying hen house through a combination of cleaning and disinfection measures, the use of a synthetic silica-based acaricide, and frequent mite monitoring. The study suggests that this integrated approach can effectively control PRM in the long term, reducing the need for acaricidal drugs.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Marcus Faehndrich, Benno Woelfing, Jana C. Klink, Marco Roller, Wolfgang Baumgaertner, Peter Wohlsein, Katharina Raue, Christina Strube, Christa Ewers, Ellen Prenger-Berninghoff, Jutta Verspohl, Antonio Lavazza, Lorenzo Capucci, Herbert Tomaso, Ursula Siebert
Summary: By analyzing samples from European brown hares in three locations in the northernmost German state of Schleswig-Holstein, it was found that infectious diseases have a relatively low importance on the observed population dynamics, but there is a high prevalence of chronic inflammations of unknown origin.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Anja Wiegmann, Tony Rinaud, Meinolf Ottensmann, Oliver Krueger, Andrea Springer, Marko Legler, Michael Fehr, Christina Strube, Nayden Chakarov
Summary: The study found that the use of a single dose of Malarone in common buzzard nestlings did not have significant adverse effects, suggesting the tolerability of the drug in this species. Further research is recommended to determine pharmacokinetics in different avian species and the effects of repeated treatment.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2022)