Cropological study of parasitosis in cats from the periurban area of Murcia city and their zoonic implications
Abstract
A coprological study was carried out in 61 cats from Murcia city´s periurban areas in southeast Spain, to estimate the prevalence and abundance of parasite species. Most of them were stray cats captured in the street by the local authority. Cats signalment was recorded and they were clinically examined to assess their health status and clinical signs. Faecal samples were collected directly from the rectum. They were first examined for macroscopic parasitic structures such as adult nematodes and cestode proglottids. Faeces were then processed by Bailinger´s technique and sedimentation and quantitative and qualitative flotation using Sheather and zinc sulphate solutions were employed to detect microscopic parasitic structures. Overall prevalence (95% confidence interval) of infected cats considering macroscopic and microscopic analysis was 59% (47-71%). However, prevalence was 34% (23-46%) for the intestinal nematode Toxocara cati, 20% (10-30%) for the lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, 15% (6-24%) for intestinal nematode Ancylostomatidae, 13% (5-22%) for the cestode Taenia spp., 8% (1-15%) for the cestode Dipylidium caninum´s eggs, 18% (8-28%) for D. caninum´s proglottids, 8% (1-15%) for protozoan Isospora rivolta and 2% (0-5%) for the intestinal nematode Trichuris spp. The prevalence of T. cati was higher than other parasites except A. abstrusus and Ancylostomatidae, and the prevalence of Trichuris spp. was lower compared to other parasites including Taenia spp., D. caninum and I. rivolta (p<0.05). Moreover, prevalence and parasite abundance were not significantly associated to clinical signs or other variables except that prevalence of Taenia spp. infection was greater in pregnant queens compared to other cats (p<0.05). The study shows a high prevalence of parasitosis in cats in the periurban area of Murcia and urges for improving their control. An unexpected finding was the absence in faeces of species with high zoonotic potential including protozoa such as Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium parvum y Toxoplasma gondii and this could be related to the limited sensitivity of classical coprological techniques employed and also to the fact that these parasites have a limited period of patency.
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