Echinococcus Granulosus Infection In Dogs Research Articles

A study on the prevalence of echinococcosis in stray dogs of the Kashmir valley

Echinococcus granulosus is known to cause echinococcosis in dogs and hydatid disease or cystic echinococcosis in ruminant animals and accidentally in humans. Dogs have a crucial role in the transmission of zoonotic parasites in the Kashmir valley, as they frequently come into touch with humans. Cysts developed as a result of this condition are diagnosed using a variety of procedures, including computed tomography, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The adoption of contemporary immunodiagnostic techniques, on the other hand, has improved the diagnosis of intestinal echinococcosis on a larger scale, allowing epidemiological studies to be conducted on a larger number of people. In the present study, the prevalence of echinococcosis infection in dogs was determined by examining faecal samples collected from different districts of the Kashmir Valley. An immunodiagnostic test, sandwich ELISA, was used for coproantigen detection of Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs. A total of 476 faecal samples were tested, out of which, 48 samples were found to be positive in sandwich ELISA, which were mostly collected from different districts of the Kashmir valley and the collection sites included streets, playgrounds, open fields, parks, etc. of the Kashmir valley.

Coprodiagnosis of Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs from Ankara, Turkey

The present study were undertaken to compare two isolation techniques (centrifugal flotation and sedimentation) for recovering taeniid eggs from faecal samples, to identify E. granulosus DNA from taeniid eggs by PCR, and to determine the prevalence of E. granulosus in dogs in villages. Faecal samples were collected from 100 dogs in Ankara province. Taenia spp. eggs were found in 27% of dogs faeces. Echinococcus granulosus-specific PCR was obtained in 14 (51.85%) of the taeniid eggs-positive samples. As well as finding Taenia eggs in dogs’ faeces, we also found eggs of some helminthic parasites; such as Dipylidium caninum, Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina, Trichuris sp., Capillaria sp., Filaroides sp., Dioctophyme renale, Linguatula serrata, hookworm, Dicrocoelium sp., Fasciola sp. and Ascaridia galli. Significantly, more dogs excreting taeniid eggs were diagnosed with the sedimentation method (n=27) as compared to the flotation method (n=10).

Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs in Sidi Kacem Province (North-West Morocco)

This study was undertaken in the Province of Sidi Kacem in northwest Morocco between April 2010 and March 2011. The main objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of Echinococcus granulosus (Eg) infection in owned dogs. This province was selected as a case study because of the social conditions, geographic and climatic diversity making it a model representative of many parts of Morocco. The survey was carried out in 23 rural communes and in the 5 municipalities (urban districts) of the Province and sampling was undertaken in randomly selected households. A total of 273 owned dogs comprising 232 from the 23 rural communes (rural dogs) and 41 from the 5 municipalities (urban dogs) were tested. Arecoline hydrobromide purgation was selected as the diagnostic method of choice to enable visualisation of expelled worms by dog owners, thereby imparting messages on the transmission mode of Eg to humans and farm animals. Of the 273 dogs tested, purgation was effective in a total of 224 dogs (82.1%). The overall estimated prevalence of Eg infection was 35.3% (79/224, 95% CI 22.3–47.0%). Dogs inhabiting rural communes were at greater risk of infection (38.0%, 95% CI 31.1–45.3%) than dogs roaming in municipalities or urban areas (18.8%, 95% CI 7.2–36.4%) and the prevalence of infection was higher in those inhabiting rural communes with slaughterhouses (62.7%, 95% CI 48.1–75.9%) than in communes without (29.1%, 95% CI 21.7–37.2%). This first assessment of Eg infection in Sidi Kacem Province indicates a key role of rural slaughterhouses in parasite transmission to dogs.

Prevalence and risk factors of Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs in Moroto and Bukedea districts in Uganda.

A cross sectional study was conducted in Moroto and Bukedea districts of Uganda from May to September 2013 to determine the prevalence and risk factors of Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs. Fresh dog faecal samples were collected, preserved in 70% ethanol, and later screened for presence of taeniid eggs using zinc chloride floatation method. Positive samples were confirmed by a copro-PCR (polymerase chain reaction) for E. granulosus using NADH dehydrogenase sub-unit 1 gene (NADH1) as a target molecular marker. Structured questionnaires and focus group discussions were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data for risk factor identification. Study sub-counties were selected by simple random sampling. Overall apparent prevalence of taeniid infection in dogs of 14.9% (39/261, confidence interval 10.6-19.2) in both districts was recorded using the faecal floatation test. The sensitivity of the faecal floatation test was found to be 78% (25/32), while the specificity was 93% (215/229). Copro-PCR results revealed a true prevalence of 14.4% (9.91-19.0, 95% CI) in dogs in Moroto district and 7.4% (2.14-12.60, 95% CI) in Bukedea district. The overall true prevalence of cystic echinococcosis (CE) was 12.2% (8.70-15.76, 95% CI) in both districts. The major risk factors identified using logistic regression were uncontrolled access of dogs to animal slaughter facilities, higher cattle herd sizes and lack of knowledge about the disease. It was recommended that restricting dog access to infected tissues and public health education about epidemiology of CE should be done.

Immunodiagnosis of Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs by counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIEP).

The present study was undertaken for the detection of Echinococcus granulosus specific antibodies in dogs by counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) with two different antigens viz., somatic and excretory secretory (E/S) antigens of E. granulosus adult worm. Totally 100 field serum samples were examined for the detection of anti-E. granulosus antibodies using somatic and E/S antigens of E. granulosus. The CIEP can able detect nine and eight E. granulosus specific antibodies with E/S and somatic antigen of E. granulosus, respectively. The sensitivity was found to be 90 and 80% and the specificity was 100% with E/S and somatic antigen of E. granulosus, respectively.

Sero-diagnosis of Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs using faecal supernatant antigen.

In the present study, sero-diagnosis of Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs was studied using 250 field serum samples, collected from stray dogs. The three serological techniques viz., latex agglutination test (LAT), Dot-ELISA and enzyme immunotransfer blot (EITB) were used to detect E. granulosus specific anti-bodies using fecal supernatant antigen. The LAT detected positivity in 53 (21.2%) serum samples with the sensitivity and specificity of 100 and 78.80% respectively. Whereas, the Dot-ELISA, showed positivity in 45 (18.0%) samples and the sensitivity and specificity were 100 and 82.0% respectively. The specific antibodies were detected in 47 (18.80%) serum samples by EITB and the polypeptides of 45 and 34kDa were identified in all the positive serum samples. The sensitivity and specificity of EITB were found to be 100 and 86.80%, respectively.

Canine echinococcosis in Turkana (north–western Kenya): a coproantigen survey in the previous hydatid-control area and an analysis of risk factors

A study of Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs, with risk-factor analysis, was carried out in the endemic area of northern Turkana district, Kenya, using necropsy on 42 strays and a coproantigen-ELISA survey of 161 owned animals. During the post-mortem examinations, 14 (33%) of the necropsied dogs were found infected with E. granulosus, with a mean burden of 540 worms (range=two to 4080 worms). The 26 necropsied dogs that came from the north-western Lokichoggio division--an area where, from 1983 to 1997, there had been a continuous programme of hydatid control--showed a similar prevalence of infection to the other dogs (34.6%) but a significantly lower mean burden, of 53 worms (range=two to 300). Forty-two (26%) of the animals tested for Echinococcus coproantigen were found positive. Although the dogs from the Lokichoggio division were more likely to be coproantigen-positive (29%) than those from the central Kakuma division (20%) or the north-eastern division (18%), the differences were not statistically significant. In questionnaire-based interviews, the owners of the dogs tested for coproantigens were asked about possible risk factors for canine infection with E. granulosus. Women were found to have twice the level of contact with dogs as men. The results of a univariate analysis of the dog-owners' responses revealed six factors that appeared to be significantly associated with a coproantigen-positive dog: non-restraint of the dog (P<0.001); dog fed on raw offal (P<0.001); the improper disposal of slaughter offal (P<0.001); the dog-owner's lack of knowledge about the transmission of echinococcosis (P=0.001); the dog not receiving anthelmintic treatment (P=0.003); and dog age < or =5 years (P=0.01). The results of a multivariate analysis confirmed that lack of dog restraint, access to raw offal, and young age of the dog (< or =5 years) each significantly increased the risk of coproantigen positivity (P, 0.005). Dogs that scavenged from cooking pots, were used to clean babies, had access to the inside of houses, and/or slept indoors appeared, however, to be at no increased risk of coproantigen positivity. The present results are discussed in relation both to older information on the epidemiology and role of human behaviour in the transmission of E. granulosus in Turkana, and the effects of the hydatid-control programme that ran continuously in the north-western division of Turkana between 1983 and 1997.

COPRO-DIAGNOSIS OF ECHINOCOCCUS GRANULOSUS INFECTION IN DOGS BY AMPLIFICATION OF A NEWLY IDENTIFIED REPEATED DNA SEQUENCE

Diagnosis of Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs by detecting adult worms recovered post mortem or purged from the intestines after treatment with arecoline is not suitable for mass screening. Large-scale diagnosis by detection of copro-antigens is useful but only with relatively high intensity infections, and only by genus. To provide a more sensitive and specific diagnosis, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed, that amplified a target repeated sequence (EgG1 Hae III) newly identified in the genome of the common sheep strain of E. granulosus. This repeated sequence consists of approximately 6,900 copies, arranged in tandem, in groups of 2-6 repeats. The corresponding primers used in the PCR easily detected a single egg with no cross-amplification of DNA from closely related cestodes, including E. multilocularis and Taenia spp. Fecal samples from naturally infected dogs, with 2-10,000 E. granulosus worms at necropsy, were all PCR positive, while E. multilocularis or Taenia spp. positive controls as well as non-endemic controls were all PCR negative. This copro-PCR assay was demonstrated to be 100% specific and also detected all necropsy-positive E. granulosus-infected dogs. It is suggested that this copro-PCR assay has the potential for pre-mortem diagnosis of E. granulosus infection even in areas where E. granulosus and E. multilocularis are co-endemic.

A recombinant antigen with potential for serodiagnosis of Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs

Antibodies specific for Echinococcus granulosus were affinity purified from dog serum on transfer blots containing putative serodiagnostic antigens. These antibodies and serum pools derived from dogs with E. granulosus infections were used to screen a γt11 cDNA library constructed using E. granulosus protoscolex mRNA. Nine definitive antigenic clones were isolated and characterized, of which one (c10P1) gave strong specific reactions in plaque immunoassay with sera from E. granulosus infected dogs. These clones were all subcloned into the plasmid vector pGEX-1. Antigenicity of clones was confirmed in colony immunoassay and/or immunoblot. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion proteins of individual subclones were produced in Escherichia coli, purified by affinity chromatography and evaluated in ELISA using sera from dogs with infections of E. granulosus, Taenia spp. or nematodes, and helminth-free dog sera. The GST fusion protein 10P1 showed a specificity of 100% in ELISA for diagnosis of E. granulosus infection in dogs despite its relatively low sensitivity. Further investigations aim to identify additional recombinant antigens and test 10P1 expressed in alternative expression systems to increase diagnostic sensitivity of the ELISA.

Assessment of a serological test for the detection of Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs in Kenya

Specific diagnosis of Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs has played a significant role in implementing hydatid control programs. Most programs have relied on purging dogs with arecoline hydrobromide and examining purge samples for worms to diagnose infection. This technique is time consuming and suffers from limitations including poor sensitivity, particularly in dogs with light infections, risk of hydatid infection to control personnel and severe side-effects of the arecoline in some dogs. Also, availability of praziquantel in several countries has further limited the value of the technique as owners can treat their dogs to eliminate worms prior to presenting them for purging. Application of a simple and sensitive immunological or serological detection system would overcome these problems and be a useful adjunct in control programs. Reports have described alternative techniques which show promise for accurate diagnosis of E. granulosus infection in the definitive host (Jenkins and Rickard, 1985, 1986; Craig et al., 1988). Recently, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using E. granulosus protoscolex antigen was developed (Gasser et al., 1988), and its sensitivity was higher than the level achieved in studies using arecoline testing (Gemmell, 1968; Trejos et al., 1975). The aim of the present study was to assess the performance of the ELISA in an endemic area of Kenya for detecting dogs with E. granulosus infection, and comparing serological data with parasitological data obtained from the dogs by necropsy. Dogs shot in north-western Turkana (Oropoi, Nanam, Lokichoggio, Lakankai,

The efficiency of bunamidine hydrochloride against young Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs.

The efficiency of bunamidine hydrochloride against young Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs.