title: An epidemiological study of gastrointestinal parasites of dogs from Southern Greater Buenos Aires (Argentina): age, gender, breed, mixed infections, and seasonal and spatial patterns.
abstract: A total of 2193 fecal samples from owned dogs were collected during the 2003-2004 period in Southern Greater Buenos Aires, and were evaluated for the presence of intestinal parasites by a flotation-centrifugation method. The overall prevalence was 52.4%, and the 11 species found were: Ancylostoma caninum (13%), Isospora ohioensis complex (12%), Toxocara canis (11%), Trichuris vulpis (10%), Sarcocystis sp. (10%), Giardia duodenalis (9%), Isospora canis (3%), Hammondia-Neospora complex (3%), Dipilydium caninum (18 cases), Cryptosporidium sp. (5 cases), and Toxascaris leonina (1 case). There was no significant difference in the overall prevalence between genders (female = 50.4%, male = 54.6%), and breeds (pure = 52.3%, mixed = 53%), but prevalence in puppies (<1 year) was higher than in adult dogs (62.7% versus 40.8%, respectively). Only the prevalence of A. caninum differed between genders, with higher values for males. The prevalences of six of the parasite species showed a decreasing trend with increasing host age, and an inverse pattern was found for two other species. The prevalences of three protozoa were significantly higher in pure-breed dogs, and those of two nematodes were significantly higher in mixed-breed dogs. The prevalences of T. canis, A. caninum, and T. vulpis were spatially heterogeneous with a clear Southwest-Northeast gradient. Only prevalences of Sarcocystis sp. and G. duodenalis showed seasonal variation. The frequency distribution of the number of species per fecal sample did not differ from a random distribution. Results obtained throughout the world were discussed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio DIAP (Diagnóstico en Animales Pequeños), Inca 109 (B1836BBC), Llavallol, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: María F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Fontanarrosa
authors.forename: Darío
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vezzani
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Basabe
authors.forename: Diego F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Eiras
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000469:parasitology; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D001947:Breeding; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D010271:Parasites / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D013045:Species Specificity