Investigation On The Prevalence Of Dog And Cat Zoonotic Parasites And Analysis Of Risk Factors In Northeast China

Dogs and cats are an important part of society and are closely related to human beings.People have a habit of keeping dogs and cats,it is very common to Heilongjiang,Jilin,Liaoning provinces and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.However,dogs and cats can not only be infected with a variety of pathogens,but also transmit some pathogens to human beings,which will pose a threat to human health.Understanding the infection status of dogs and cats in the four regions of Northeast China,and assessing the risks of these parasites to humans posing a significant health concern,which is of great significance to promote the healthy development of pet industry and protect human health.In the present study,406 fecal and 913 blood samples obtained from Heilongjiang,Jilin,Liaoning provinces and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in northeast China were individually examined by fecal pathogen detection,serology and molecular biology methods.A total of 11 speices of parasitic zoonoses were detected,including Toxocara canis,Toxocara felis,Hookworm,Dipylidium caninum,Echinococcus sp.,Echinochasmus japonicus,Isthmiophora hortensis,Clonorchis sinensis,Cryptosporidium canis,Cryptosporidium felis and Toxoplasma gondii.The results of gastrointestinal parasites detection showed that the total infection rates of zoonotic parasites in dogs and cats were 37.65% and 17.22%,respectively.In dogs,the infection rates of T.canis,C.canis,D.caninum,and hookworm were 28.23%,14.00%,3.52% and 1.17%,respectively.The infection rates of E.japonicus,I.hortensis,C.sinensis was 0.39%.T.canis and C.canis were the most common species in the four provinces which hold a high infection rates and wide geographical distribution.The infection rates of D.caninum,T.felis,C.felis and T.gondii in cats were 11.92%,5.29%,4.63% and 3.31%,respectively,in which D.caninum was the most common species.The results of statistical analyses showed that the infection rates of gastrointestinal parasites was significantly different between adult dogs and juvenile dogs(P<0.05),and the infection rates of gastrointestinal parasites was significantly different among meat dogs,stray dogs and pet dogs(P<0.05).The difference of infection rates of gastrointestinal parasites between stray cats and pet cats was significant(P<0.05),while the difference in other groups was not significant(P>0.05).Only T.gondii was found in the blood samples,however Leishmania sp.and Piroplasma had not detected.And T.gondii was the most common species with 15.26% and 18.31 infection rate in dogs and cats,respectively.There was a difference(P<0.05)among different living environments.According to the risk factor analyses,animal life styles is the main risk factor,the infection rates of T.gondii and gastrointestinal parasites in stray dogs and cats were very high,wide range of activities of stray dogs and cats without be restricted by people.Leading to the spread of parasites was more easy,great attention should be paid to public health.Although the infection rate of zoonotic parasites in companion animals could not compare with stray animals.Although the infection rates of zoonotic parasites in companion animals is lower than that in stray animals,it is an important storage host and source of infection due to its closer contact with human beings.It has potential risk of transmitting zoonotic diseases,which should also be paid attention to.This study preliminarily confirmed the zoonotic parasitic infection in dogs and cats among the four provinces of Northeast China,and the risk factors were analyzed.Which provide“base-line” data for prevention and control of parasitic diseases of dogs and cats in these regions,and pose a great significance for the prevention of zoonotic parasitic infection of human beings.