title: Stray cats gastrointestinal parasites and its association with public health in ahvaz city, South Western of iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cats are the hosts for some zoonotic parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii and Toxocara spp. which are important in medicine and veterinary. Studies on the prevalence of intestinal parasites of cats have received little attention in south west of Iran.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence of parasites in stray cats in Ahvaz.
  
  
  METHODS
  Random sampling was carried out from January to May 2012. One hundred and forty fecal samples from stray cats were examined using sucrose flotation method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gastrointestinal parasites were found in 121 of the 140 (86.4%) examined samples. The parasites detected in stray cats were Toxocara spp. (45%, 63/140), Isospora spp. (21.4%, 30/140), nematode larvae (21.4%, 30/140), Taenia spp. (18.6%, 26/140), Sarcocystis spp. (17.1%, 24/140), Eimeria spp. (15%, 21/140), Blastocystis spp. (14.3%, 20/140), Giardia spp, (10.7%, 15/140), Physaloptera spp. (7.1%, 10/140), and amoeba cyst (5.7%, 8/140) respectively. The prevalence of infection by Joyexiella spp. and hook worms (4.3%, 6/140), for example, Dipylidium caninum (2.9%, 4/140) was similar; and the prevalence of infection by T. gondii and Dicrocoelium dendriticum was similar (1.4%, 2/140).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since the prevalence of zoonotic gastrointestinal parasites such as Toxocara spp. in stray cats is high, there is a need to plan adequate programs to control these zoonotic parasites.
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran ; Department of Medical Parasitology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Shahram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khademvatan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Rahman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abdizadeh
authors.affiliation: Toxicology Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Fakher
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rahim
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mahamoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashemitabar
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghasemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tavalla
keywords: Gastrointestinal Parasites; Iran; Stray Cat; Zoonoses