title: Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in domestic dogs in Tabasco, southeastern Mexico.
abstract: The overall goal of this study was to estimate the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) parasites in dogs in the city of Villahermosa in Tabasco, Mexico. The study population consisted of 302 owned dogs that had limited access to public areas. A fecal sample was collected from each animal and examined for GI parasites by conventional macroscopic analysis and centrifugal flotation. Fecal samples from 80 (26.5%) dogs contained GI parasites. Of these, 58 (19.2%) were positive for helminths and 22 (7.3%) were positive for protozoan parasites. At least seven parasitic species were identified. The most common parasite was Ancylostoma caninum which was detected in 48 (15.9%) dogs. Other parasites detected on multiple occasions were Cystoisospora spp. (n = 19), Toxocara canis (n = 7) and Giardia spp. (n = 3). Three additional parasites, Dipylidium caninum, Trichuris vulpis and Uncinaria spp., were each detected in a single dog. No mixed parasitic infections were identified. In summary, we report a moderately high prevalence of GI parasites in owned dogs in Villahermosa, Tabasco. Several parasitic species identified in this study are recognized zoonotic pathogens which illustrates the important need to routinely monitor and treat dogs that live in close proximity to humans for parasitic infections.
authors.affiliation: División Académica de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa, Tabasco, México.
authors.forename: Oswaldo Margarito
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Torres-Chablé
authors.affiliation: División Académica de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa, Tabasco, México.
authors.forename: Ricardo Alfonso
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: García-Herrera
authors.affiliation: División Académica de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa, Tabasco, México.
authors.forename: Melchor
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hernández-Hernández
authors.affiliation: División Académica de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa, Tabasco, México.
authors.forename: Jorge Alonso
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Peralta-Torres
authors.affiliation: División Académica de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa, Tabasco, México.
authors.forename: Nadia Florencia
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Ojeda-Robertos
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
authors.forename: Bradley John
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Blitvich
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México.
authors.forename: Carlos Marcial
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Baak-Baak
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México.
authors.forename: Julián Everardo
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: García-Rejón
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México.
authors.forename: Carlos Ignacio
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Machain-Wiliams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence