Abstract
BackgroundStrongyloides stercoralis, a soil-transmitted helminth, occurs in humans, non-human primates, dogs, cats and wild canids. The zoonotic potential between these hosts is not well understood with data available on prevalence primarily focused on humans. To increase knowledge on prevalence, this review and meta-analysis was performed to estimate the global status of S. stercoralis infections in dogs.MethodsFollowing the PRISMA guidelines, online literature published prior to November 2020 was obtained from multiple databases (Science Direct, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar). Prevalence was calculated on a global and country level, by country income and climate, and in stray/animal shelter dogs versus owned dogs. Statistical analyses were conducted using R-software (version 3.6.1).ResultsFrom 9428 articles, 61 met the inclusion criteria. The estimated pooled global prevalence of S. stercoralis in dogs was 6% (95% CI 3–9%). Infection was found to be the most prevalent in low-income countries with pooled prevalence of 22% (95% CI 10–36%). The highest pooled prevalence of S. stercoralis in dogs was related to regions with average temperature of 10–20 °C (6%; 95% CI 3–11%), an annual rainfall of 1001–1500 mm (9%; 95% CI 4–15%) and humidity of 40–75% (8%; 95% CI 4–13%). Prevalence was higher in stray and shelter dogs (11%; 95% CI 1–26%) than in owned dogs (3%; 95% CI 1–7%).ConclusionsAs with S. stercoralis in humans, higher prevalence in dogs is found in subtropical and tropical regions and lower-income countries, locations which also can have high dog populations. While this study presents the first estimated global prevalence of S. stercoralis in dogs, it is potentially an underestimation with 15 of 61 studies relying on diagnostic methods of lower sensitivity and a paucity of data from most locations. Standardized protocols (e.g. quantity of feces and number of samples for a Baermann) in future studies could improve reliability of results. More prevalence studies and raising veterinary awareness of S. stercoralis are needed for a One Health approach to protect humans and dogs from the impact of the infection.Graphical
Highlights
Strongyloides stercoralis, a soil-transmitted helminth, occurs in humans, non-human primates, dogs, cats and wild canids
Indirect fluorescent antibody tests (IFATs), enzymelinked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and molecular methods can be used for diagnosis but are more frequently used in research versus clinical settings [10,11,12]
Pooled prevalence The estimated pooled global prevalence for S. stercoralis in dogs was 6% with a higher estimated pooled prevalence in stray/shelter dogs (11%, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) 1–26%) than in owned dogs (3%, 95% CI 1–7%) (Figs. 2; 3)
Summary
Strongyloides stercoralis, a soil-transmitted helminth, occurs in humans, non-human primates, dogs, cats and wild canids. A quarter of the world’s population is impacted by helminthic infections that cause substantial rates of diseases and/or disabilities. Many of these helminths are zoonotic with carnivores, dogs and cats, responsible for transmission of nearly 43% of the zoonotic pathogens. [1,2,3,4] One of these zoonotic pathogens is Strongyloides stercoralis, a soil-transmitted helminth that affects 100– 370 million people globally and is classified as a neglected tropical disease [5, 6]. First-stage larvae (L1) and occasionally in some hosts eggs containing L1 are excreted via the host’s feces into the environment where the heterogonic cycle occurs. The primary treatment for S. stercoralis infection in humans is ivermectin [9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
