title: Risk factors for gastrointestinal parasite infections of dogs living around protected areas of the Atlantic Forest: implications for human and wildlife health.
abstract: Despite the ubiquity of domestic dogs, their role as zoonotic reservoirs and the large number of studies concerning parasites in urban dogs, rural areas in Brazil, especially those at the wildlife-domestic animal-human interface, have received little attention from scientists and public health managers. This paper reports a cross-sectional epidemiological survey of gastrointestinal parasites of rural dogs living in farms around Atlantic Forest fragments. Through standard parasitological methods (flotation and sedimentation), 13 parasite taxa (11 helminths and two protozoans) were found in feces samples from dogs. The most prevalent were the nematode Ancylostoma (47%) followed by Toxocara (18%) and Trichuris (8%). Other less prevalent (<2%) parasites found were Capillaria, Ascaridia, Spirocerca, Taeniidae, Acantocephala, Ascaris, Dipylidium caninum, Toxascaris, and the protozoans Cystoisospora and Eimeria. Mixed infections were found in 36% of samples, mostly by Ancylostoma and Toxocara. Previous deworming had no association with infections, meaning that this preventive measure is being incorrectly performed by owners. Regarding risk factors, dogs younger than one year were more likely to be infected with Toxocara, and purebred dogs with Trichuris. The number of cats in the households was positively associated with Trichuris infection, while male dogs and low body scores were associated with mixed infections. The lack of associations with dog free-ranging behavior and access to forest or villages indicates that infections are mostly acquired around the households. The results highlight the risk of zoonotic and wildlife parasite infections from dogs and the need for monitoring and controlling parasites of domestic animals in human-wildlife interface areas.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia Aplicada, Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras - UFLA, Avenida Doutor Sylvio Menicucci, 1001, Kennedy, CEP 37200-000, Lavras, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: N H A
authors.initials: NHA
authors.lastname: Curi
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Conservação e Manejo da Vida Selvagem, Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: A M O
authors.initials: AMO
authors.lastname: Paschoal
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Conservação e Manejo da Vida Selvagem, Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Massara
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Helmintologia, Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Helmintologia, Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia Aplicada, Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras - UFLA, Avenida Doutor Sylvio Menicucci, 1001, Kennedy, CEP 37200-000, Lavras, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Passamani
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, Avenida Luigi Rosiello, s/n, Subsetor Oeste 11, CEP 14051-090, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Chiarello
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003044:Coccidia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D006376:Helminths / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D065947:Rainforest; D012307:Risk Factors; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission