Gastrointestinal Helminthic Parasites of Stray Cats (Felis catus) in Northwest Iran

Enayat  Darabi; Eshrat  Beigom Kia; Mehdi  Mohebali; Iraj  Mobedi; Farzaneh  Zahabiun; Zabiholla  Zarei; Mahya  Khodabakhsh; Khadijeh  Khanaliha

doi:10.18502/ijpa.v16i3.7095

Enayat Darabi Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Eshrat Beigom Kia Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mehdi Mohebali Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Iraj Mobedi Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Farzaneh Zahabiun Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Zabiholla Zarei Meshkin-Shahr Station, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mahya Khodabakhsh Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Khadijeh Khanaliha Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijpa.v16i3.7095

Keywords: Gastrointestinal hel-minths; Toxocara mystax; Stray cats; Zoonotic; Iran

Abstract

Background: Stray cats are considered an important source of various human and animal diseases, particularly diseases of parasitic helminths. We aimed to investigate the distribution of zoonotic species of gastrointestinal helminths in stray cats in Meshkin-Shahr district in Ardabil Province in the northwest of Iran.

Methods: The gastrointestinal tract of 104 stray cats from villages of Meshkin-Shahr district were provided during 2014-2015. Each gastrointestinal tract was cut into distinct sections, including esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, and each section was examined separately for detection of helminths. Helminths were collected and then identified at the species level after clearing and staining.

Results: Overall, 88 out of 104 cats (84.6%) were found to be infected with at least one gastrointestinal helminth. The rate of infection for each species was as follows: Toxocara mystax (syn. cati) (49%), Taenia taeniaeformis (44.2%), Joyexiella pasqualei (32.7%), Dipylidium caninum (23.1%), Rictularia cahirensis (4.8%), and Physaloptera praeputialis (4.8%). Among these parasites, only Ph. praeputialis was collected from the stomach, all other helminths were collected from the small intestine.

Conclusion: The results demonstrate a high infection rate of stray cats with zoonotic helminths. The presence of zoonotic species in stray cats, particularly T. mystax, has public health importance.