Coprodiagnosis of Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs from Ankara, Turkey.

The present study were undertaken to compare two isolation techniques (centrifugal flotation and sedimentation) for recovering taeniid eggs from faecal samples, to identify E. granulosus DNA from taeniid eggs by PCR, and to determine the prevalence of E. granulosus in dogs in villages. Faecal samples were collected from 100 dogs in Ankara province. Taenia spp. eggs were found in 27% of dogs faeces. Echinococcus granulosus-specific PCR was obtained in 14 (51.85%) of the taeniid eggs-positive samples. As well as finding Taenia eggs in dogs' faeces, we also found eggs of some helminthic parasites; such as Dipylidium caninum, Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina, Trichuris sp., Capillaria sp., Filaroides sp., Dioctophyme renale, Linguatula serrata, hookworm, Dicrocoelium sp., Fasciola sp. and Ascaridia galli. Significantly, more dogs excreting taeniid eggs were diagnosed with the sedimentation method (n=27) as compared to the flotation method (n=10).

Helminth Infections by Coprological Examination in Sheep-Dogs and Their Zoonotic Importance.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths and diagnose the species of important zoonotic helminths in sheep dogs. METHODS: Firstly, fecal samples were macroscopically examined; subsequently, formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation and ZnSO4 centrifugal floatation techniques were applied for the examination of helminth eggs. PCR technique was utilized to determine the species of E. granulosus and T. canis in dogs found positive for Taenia spp. and Toxocara spp. RESULTS: Helminth infection was detected in 35.26% of sheep dogs. Taenia spp. was the most common helminth (12.05%), followed by Toxocara spp. (9.38%), Toxascaris leonina (6.25%), and Trichuris spp. (4.2%). The positive results in the E. granulosus and T. canis-specific PCR-based molecular tests were obtained in 14 of the Taenia egg-positive samples and in 5 of the Toxocara egg-positive samples from dogs. This study has suggested that coprophagy and feed raw offal and meat to dogs may be responsible for finding atypical helminth eggs in fecal samples from dogs in the absence of an actual infection. CONCLUSION: To make the diagnosis of their owned parasites of dogs, E. granulosus and T. canis which have zoonotic importance, feces must be examined by both conventional and copro-PCR techniques. In addition to dogs' feeding habits, other related factors must be taken into account in the epidemiology of helminth infection; thus, precaution and control measures will be more reliable.

Comparison of Toxocara eggs in hair and faecal samples from owned dogs and cats collected in Ankara, Turkey.

This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of Toxocara eggs on hair and in faeces of healthy owned cats and dogs and to make comparisons between data (sex, age, host factor, etc.) collected from dogs and cats. Toxocara eggs were found on the hair of 14% of 100 dogs and 22% of 100 cats. In total, 58 and 136 eggs were recovered from the hair samples of examined cats and dogs, respectively. Of the total number of eggs, 2 were classified as embryonated in cats. One of the eggs recovered was embryonating in dogs. The maximum number of eggs was found in the tail bottom of cats (28 eggs) and dogs (58 eggs). As well as finding Toxocara eggs in dogs and cats hair, we also found eggs of some helminthic parasites; such as Dicrocoelium sp., Fasciola sp., Taenia sp., Dipylidium caninum and Toxascaris leonina. In addition, faecal samples of same dogs and cats were also examined by two techniques (centrifugal flotation and sedimentation): Toxocara eggs were found in 5% and 13% of dogs and cats faeces, respectively. But, 14% of the dogs and 22% of the cats were positive for Toxocara eggs on hair. The prevalence of eggs in faecal samples was lower than those detected from hair samples (P < 0.05). Two techniques for recovering Toxocara eggs from faecal samples were tested for efficiency and suitability for routine use. The results were expressed as the percentage rate of recovery of Toxocara eggs in positive faecal samples. The recovery rate was better with the method of sedimentation than with the method of flotation (P < 0.05). This study indicates that dogs and cats without internal infections were shown to have eggs on their hair and so uninfected animals also pose a threat in terms of the eggs present on their hair, albeit a small risk.