Toxocara cati infections in stray cats in northern Iran

Abstract A cross-sectional survey was undertaken to study the prevalence and intensity of infection with Toxocara cati in 100 stray cats, from April to October 2004 in urban areas of Sari, northern Iran. A total of 44 cats (44%) were found to be infected with T. cati. There was a significant difference in the prevalence of infection relative to host age and weight (P = 0.000). There was also a significant difference in the intensity of infection relative to body weight and urban sites (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found between the prevalence of infection relative to host gender, urban sites and season (P>0.05), nor in the intensity of infection between host gender, age and season (P>0.05). The intensity of infection ranged from 1 to 32 worms per cat, with a mean of 7.30 ± 6.82.

[1]  C. Holland,et al.  Toxocara: The Enigmatic Parasite , 2006 .

[2]  C. Holland,et al.  Exposure and environmental contamination. , 2005 .

[3]  I. Martínez-Barbabosa,et al.  The prevalence of Toxocara cati in domestic cats in Mexico City. , 2003, Veterinary parasitology.

[4]  M. Fisher.  Toxocara cati: an underestimated zoonotic agent. , 2003, Trends in parasitology.

[5]  David S. Lindsay,et al.  Feline Clinical Parasitology , 2001 .

[6]  A. Oryan,et al.  Prevalence and intensity of infestation with Toxocara cati in stray cats in Shiraz, Iran. , 2001 .

[7]  T. Luty.  Prevalence of species of Toxocara in dogs, cats and red foxes from the Poznan region, Poland , 2001, Journal of Helminthology.

[8]  J. Lucientes,et al.  Gastrointestinal helminth parasites in stray cats from the mid-Ebro Valley, Spain. , 1998, Veterinary parasitology.

[9]  Ó. V. Tsuji,et al.  Verduras de consumo humano como probable fuente de infección de Toxocara sp. para el hombre , 1997 .

[10]  O. Vázquez Tsuji,et al.  [Vegetables for human consumption as probable source of Toxocara sp. infection in man]. , 1997, Boletin chileno de parasitologia.

[11]  S. Uga,et al.  Defecation habits of cats and dogs and contamination by Toxocara eggs in public park sandpits. , 1996, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[12]  N. Kataoka,et al.  Measures to control Toxocara egg contamination in sandpits of public parks. , 1995, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[13]  P. O’Lorcain,et al.  Epidemiology of Toxocara spp. in stray dogs and cats in Dublin, Ireland , 1994, Journal of Helminthology.

[14]  M. Lappin.  Feline zoonotic diseases. , 1993, The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice.

[15]  P. Schantz,et al.  Toxocaral visceral larva migrans after ingestion of raw lamb liver. , 1992, Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

[16]  I. Mobedi,et al.  Helminth parasites of carnivores in northern Iran. , 1992, Annals of tropical medicine and parasitology.

[17]  K. Kondo,et al.  Serologic differentiation between Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati. , 1990, The Journal of infectious diseases.

[18]  T. Burke,et al.  Prenatal and lactational transmission of Toxocara canis and Ancylostoma caninum: experimental infection of the bitch at midpregnancy and at parturition. , 1985, International journal for parasitology.

[19]  G. Nelson.  Clinical Parasitology: 9th edn. , 1984 .

[20]  J. Dunsmore,et al.  Prevalence of some gastrointestinal parasites in cats in the Perth area. , 2008, Australian veterinary journal.

[21]  F. Shaw,et al.  An immunodiffusion method for the identification of the species of origin of meat samples. , 1983, Australian veterinary journal.

[22]  A. W. Woodruff,et al.  Toxocariasis in the Sudan. , 1981, Annals of tropical medicine and parasitology.

[23]  K. Snow,et al.  Prevalence of intestinal parasites in domestic cats from the London area , 1981, Veterinary Record.

[24]  L. Glickman,et al.  Epidemiology and pathogenesis of zoonotic toxocariasis. , 1981, Epidemiologic reviews.

[25]  W. Hutchison,et al.  The prevalence of intestinal helminths in stray cats in central Scotland , 1980, Journal of Helminthology.

[26]  W. Charleston.  Toxocara and public health. , 1977, New Zealand veterinary journal.

[27]  O. Vanparijs,et al.  Canine and feline helminth and protozoan infections in Belgium. , 1973, The Journal of parasitology.

[28]  A. Mirzayans.  Incidence of gastrointestinal helminths of domestic cats in the Teheran area of Iran. , 1971, The Journal of parasitology.

[29]  S. W. Nielsen,et al.  Transmammary passage of Toxocara cati in the cat. , 1971, American journal of veterinary research.

[30]  A. Sadighian.  Helminths of wildcats in the Shahsavar area, Caspian region, Iran. , 1970 .

[31]  E. Soulsby,et al.  Helminths, Arthropods and Protozoa of Domesticated Animals , 1969 .

[32]  P. Beaver.  The nature of visceral larva migrans. , 1969, The Journal of parasitology.

[33]  N. D. Levine,et al.  Helminths, arthropods, & protozoa of domesticated animals , 1969 .

[34]  J. Sprent.  The life history and development of Toxocara cati (Schrank 1788) in the domestic cat , 1956, Parasitology.