ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study was performed to determine the prevalence and to identify precisely Toxocara spp., which infects feral cats in Alexandria, Egypt based on morphological and molecular approaches. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 100 feral cats trapped from different areas of Alexandria during 2018. Adult male and female worms were recovered from small intestinal contents after euthanasia and dissection of cats. Distinct morphological features were initially determined using available keys, and then after amplification and sequencing of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1) gene was carried out and phylogenetic trees were constructed. RESULTS: Forty out of 100 cats were infected with Toxocara spp. Intensity of infection ranged from 1 to 9 worms/cat, with a mean of 2.27±1.6. All isolates were confirmed as T. cati based on morphological features and the sequence of nad1 gene. Results of the current study clearly show that Egyptian T. cati isolate examined herein is genetically similar to those recorded in other countries. CONCLUSION: The current work revealed high prevalence of T. cati in feral cats in the study area. This is the first genetic study that confirms T. cati from feral cats in Egypt. In addition, it demonstrated the suitability and need of genetic markers such as nad1 for identification of Toxocara spp. Furthermore highlights the public health importance of T. cati in Egypt.
ABSTRACT
The current survey was carried out to determine the prevalence of heterophyids infection in tilapia fish "Orechromaus niloticus", and the role of cats "Felis catus" as a reservoir for the zoonotic digenetic trematodes "Heterophyid"-particularly Heterophyes hetrophyes-in Egypt. All over a year, 100 tilapia fish "Orechromas niloticus" were collected randomly from local markets at Alexandria city. Fish specimens were examined for the presence of encysted metacercariae (EMC). Furthermore, specimens of infected fish were experimentally fed to cats as well as rats to detect the adult species and infection ratio, and resulted clinical signs. Results showed that 65% (CI: 55.7-74.3%) of examined fish was infected by one or more of flukes EMC. The highest infection was recorded in summer and spring, followed by autumn then winter. Regarding the identified EMC; Heterophyes spp. was the most common adults (50%). Experimental feeding of EMC to cats and rats resulted in identification of 8 adult flukes namely; H. heterophyes, H. dispar, Haplorchis pumilio, Haplorchis taichiue, Pygidiopsis geneta, Centrocestus cuspidatus, Procerum varium and Prohistomum vivax. Experimentally infected cats were more susceptible to infection compared with rats; also showed more severe clinical and pathological signs than rats. In conclusion, the current work clarifies and highlights a high infection rate of EMC in edible tilapia fish in the study area, also the possible role of cats as a reservoir of the digenetic trematodes particularly the zoonotic H. heterophyes, that necessities planning and application of suitable control measures; and continuous monitoring of fish zoonotic parasites as well as cats and its parasites.
ABSTRACT
This study investigates the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) helminths among stray cats in Alexandria city, Egypt. Between May 2013 and April 2015, a total of 170 fecal samples were randomly collected from cats and examined parasitologically. GI helminths were found in 58.23% of the samples, comprising cestodes (23.52%), nematodes (20%), and trematodes (14.70%). The prevalent cestodes found were Dipylidium caninum (18.82%), Hymenolepis spp. (3.52%), and Taenia taeniaeformis (1.17%). The prevalent nematodes were Toxocara cati (8.23%), Toxascaris leonina (8.32%), hook worms (1.76%), and lastly Trichuris sp., Physaloptera sp., and Strongyloides cati (0.58% for each). The trem\atodes eggs comprised Heterophyids (11.76%), Alaria spp. (1.76%) and Mesostepahnus spp. (1.17%). The current study highlights the high prevalence of GI helminths in stray cats in Alexandria, Egypt and provides new and updated results that may help in the effort to control these parasites. Further investigations of GI parasites detected in cats in Egypt, particularly of those that play a role in public health, are recommended.
