Surveillance of soil-transmitted helminths and other intestinal parasites in shelter dogs, Mississippi, USA

In recent years, soil-transmitted helminthiases, including strongyloidiasis have become a prominent public health concern in the southeastern United States of America (USA). While there is ongoing human soil-transmitted helminths (STH) surveillance in Mississippi and Alabama, very little attention h...

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Main Authors: Huan Zhao, Patsy A. Zendejas-Heredia, Vito Colella, Irene Arguello, Kai Brookes, Indu S. Panicker, John M. Williams, Kayla N. Patterson, Gurbaksh Singh, Charlotte V. Hobbs, Richard S. Bradbury
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:One Health
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771424002829
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author Huan Zhao
Patsy A. Zendejas-Heredia
Vito Colella
Irene Arguello
Kai Brookes
Indu S. Panicker
John M. Williams
Kayla N. Patterson
Gurbaksh Singh
Charlotte V. Hobbs
Richard S. Bradbury
author_facet Huan Zhao
Patsy A. Zendejas-Heredia
Vito Colella
Irene Arguello
Kai Brookes
Indu S. Panicker
John M. Williams
Kayla N. Patterson
Gurbaksh Singh
Charlotte V. Hobbs
Richard S. Bradbury
author_sort Huan Zhao
collection DOAJ
description In recent years, soil-transmitted helminthiases, including strongyloidiasis have become a prominent public health concern in the southeastern United States of America (USA). While there is ongoing human soil-transmitted helminths (STH) surveillance in Mississippi and Alabama, very little attention has been paid to potentially zoonotic STH from dogs in this region. We microscopically examined faecal samples collected from 252 shelter dogs in Mississippi using the formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation method. Extracted DNA were subjected to three multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays targeting canine STH (canine hookworm species, Strongyloides spp., Toxocara species and Baylisascaris procyonis). The combined prevalence of STH by microscopy and qPCRs in Mississippi dogs was 62.7 %, with hookworms at 50.0 % and Toxocara at 24.2 %. qPCR identified Ancylostoma caninum (44.4 %), Toxocara canis (22.2 %), Strongyloides spp. (1.2 %), and Uncinaria stenocephala (0.8 %). No other canine hookworm species, Baylisascaris procyonis, or Toxocara cati were detected by qPCR. Seven additional intestinal parasites were identified by microscopy, including Trichuris vulpis (13.5 %), Physaloptera sp. (6.4 %), Cystoisospora sp. (3.2 %), Dipylidium caninum (1.2 %). Giardia duodenalis (0.8 %), Alaria sp. (0.4 %), and Macracanthorhynchus sp. (0.4 %). These findings, combined with recent human cases in Mississippi, highlight the need for targeted public health messaging to promote regular anthelmintic treatment for dogs and their owners.
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spelling doaj-art-e057466a173d46c8bcb19d5964d15c942025-08-20T02:36:16ZengElsevierOne Health2352-77142025-06-012010095610.1016/j.onehlt.2024.100956Surveillance of soil-transmitted helminths and other intestinal parasites in shelter dogs, Mississippi, USAHuan Zhao0Patsy A. Zendejas-Heredia1Vito Colella2Irene Arguello3Kai Brookes4Indu S. Panicker5John M. Williams6Kayla N. Patterson7Gurbaksh Singh8Charlotte V. Hobbs9Richard S. Bradbury10Federation University, Berwick, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaDepartment of Veterinary Biosciences, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaDepartment of Veterinary Biosciences, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaDivision of Microbiology, University of Mississippi Medical Centre, Jackson, MS, USAFederation University, Berwick, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaFederation University, Berwick, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaDivision of Microbiology, University of Mississippi Medical Centre, Jackson, MS, USADivision of Microbiology, University of Mississippi Medical Centre, Jackson, MS, USADivision of Microbiology, University of Mississippi Medical Centre, Jackson, MS, USADepartment of Paediatrics and Infectious Diseases, University of Mississippi Medical Centre, Jackson, MS, USA; Division of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, USA; Corresponding author.Federation University, Berwick, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Corresponding author at: School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.In recent years, soil-transmitted helminthiases, including strongyloidiasis have become a prominent public health concern in the southeastern United States of America (USA). While there is ongoing human soil-transmitted helminths (STH) surveillance in Mississippi and Alabama, very little attention has been paid to potentially zoonotic STH from dogs in this region. We microscopically examined faecal samples collected from 252 shelter dogs in Mississippi using the formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation method. Extracted DNA were subjected to three multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays targeting canine STH (canine hookworm species, Strongyloides spp., Toxocara species and Baylisascaris procyonis). The combined prevalence of STH by microscopy and qPCRs in Mississippi dogs was 62.7 %, with hookworms at 50.0 % and Toxocara at 24.2 %. qPCR identified Ancylostoma caninum (44.4 %), Toxocara canis (22.2 %), Strongyloides spp. (1.2 %), and Uncinaria stenocephala (0.8 %). No other canine hookworm species, Baylisascaris procyonis, or Toxocara cati were detected by qPCR. Seven additional intestinal parasites were identified by microscopy, including Trichuris vulpis (13.5 %), Physaloptera sp. (6.4 %), Cystoisospora sp. (3.2 %), Dipylidium caninum (1.2 %). Giardia duodenalis (0.8 %), Alaria sp. (0.4 %), and Macracanthorhynchus sp. (0.4 %). These findings, combined with recent human cases in Mississippi, highlight the need for targeted public health messaging to promote regular anthelmintic treatment for dogs and their owners.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771424002829ZoonosesSoil-transmitted helminthsStrongyloidiasisToxocariasisHookworm infectionsReal-time PCR
spellingShingle Huan Zhao
Patsy A. Zendejas-Heredia
Vito Colella
Irene Arguello
Kai Brookes
Indu S. Panicker
John M. Williams
Kayla N. Patterson
Gurbaksh Singh
Charlotte V. Hobbs
Richard S. Bradbury
Surveillance of soil-transmitted helminths and other intestinal parasites in shelter dogs, Mississippi, USA
One Health
Zoonoses
Soil-transmitted helminths
Strongyloidiasis
Toxocariasis
Hookworm infections
Real-time PCR
title Surveillance of soil-transmitted helminths and other intestinal parasites in shelter dogs, Mississippi, USA
title_full Surveillance of soil-transmitted helminths and other intestinal parasites in shelter dogs, Mississippi, USA
title_fullStr Surveillance of soil-transmitted helminths and other intestinal parasites in shelter dogs, Mississippi, USA
title_full_unstemmed Surveillance of soil-transmitted helminths and other intestinal parasites in shelter dogs, Mississippi, USA
title_short Surveillance of soil-transmitted helminths and other intestinal parasites in shelter dogs, Mississippi, USA
title_sort surveillance of soil transmitted helminths and other intestinal parasites in shelter dogs mississippi usa
topic Zoonoses
Soil-transmitted helminths
Strongyloidiasis
Toxocariasis
Hookworm infections
Real-time PCR
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771424002829
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