title: A survey of gastrointestinal helminths in cats of the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
abstract: The prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth parasites in 135 cats over 1 year of age and inhabiting the metropolitan region of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was investigated by necropsy. These animals had two distinct origins: 99 cats (29 males and 70 females) were derived by capture in public areas (feral/stray) and 36 (12 males and 24 females) from shelters. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth parasites was 89.6%. The following parasites, with their respective prevalence in parenthesis, were found: Dipylidium caninum (52.6%), Ancylostoma braziliense (65.9%), Ancylostoma tubaeforme (8.9%), Toxocara cati (25.2%), Toxascaris leonina (11.9%), Physaloptera praeputialis (9.6%). Concurrent infections with two or more parasites were recorded in 59.5% of the individuals. Of the 121 parasitized cats, 94 were feral/strays and 27 were from shelters. Among feral/stray cats, 80 were infected with A. braziliense (85%) and 17 of the shelter felids were infected with D. caninum (63%). Feral/stray cats had higher worm intensities (6411/94-68.2) than shelter cats (992/27-36.7). The helminth parasites most frequently found in feral/stray cats were Ancylostoma braziliense (47.5%) and D. caninum (47%) while in shelter cats, D. caninum was the predominant species (85.2%). Twenty seven cats (22.3%) had only A. braziliense and 19 (15.7%) were parasitized only with D. caninum. Among those cats harboring mixed infections A. braziliense and D. caninum were the species more frequently found (P < 0.001).
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia e Clinica Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Vital Brazil Filho 64, Santa Rosa, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro Cep 24230-340, Brazil. labarthe@fiocruz.br
authors.forename: Norma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Labarthe
authors.forename: Maria Lucia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Serrão
authors.forename: Ana Maria R
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Núbia K O
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guerrero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006376:Helminths / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D014505:Urban Population