Canine parasitic zoonoses in Bangkok temples.
Fecal samples were collected from 204 humans and 229 dogs from 20 different temples in Bangkok, as well as communities in the surrounding temple ground areas. Human and dog stool samples were examined for intestinal parasites including Giardia using zinc sulfate flotation and microscopy. Hookworms were the most common parasite in dogs (58.1%) followed by Trichuris (20.5%), Isospora (10%), Giardia (7.9%), Toxocara (7.4%), Dipylidium caninum (4.4%) and Spirometra (3.1%). Blastocystis hominis (5.9%) was the most common parasite in humans followed by hookworms (3.4%), Giardia (2.5%), Strongyloides (2%) and Cryptosporidium (1.5%). All samples microscopy-positive for Giardia were genotyped. The majority of Giardia isolated from the dog population was placed in Assemblage A, followed by Assemblages D, B and C, respectively, while human isolates were placed in Assemblages A and B. Therefore, dogs in temple communities posed a potential zoonotic risk to humans for transmission of hookworms, Giardia (especially Assemblage A genotypes) and Toxocara canis.
Inpankaew
Tawin
T
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand. fvettwi@ku.ac.th
Traub
Rebecca
R
Thompson
R C Andrew
RC
Sukthana
Yaowalark
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002016:Buddhism; D002648:Child; D004285:Dogs / Q000469:parasitology*; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D005872:Giardia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006376:Helminths / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission*