Toxocara Cati Research Articles

Larva migrans in BALB/c mice experimentally infected with Toxocara cati ensured by PCR assay

BackgroundToxocara cati, the cat roundworm, is a parasitic nematode that known to cause toxocariasis in intermediate hosts and humans. In this study, we characterized the dynamics of T. cati larvae migration in BALB/c mice after inoculation with eggs and ensured the migration detecting the larval DNA by a PCR. To evaluate the dynamics of larval migration and distribution, twenty-four BALB/c mice were orally inoculated with 2500 T. cati infective eggs and the visceral organs of the infected animals were examined by pepsin digestion and microscopic parasite counts, followed by PCR at day 1 to 28 post-inoculation.ResultsThe PCR assays were successfully used for detection of T. cati larvae in tissue samples and T. cati larvae and the DNAs were found in the liver, lungs, heart, kidneys and the brain. We detected T. cati in 92.2% of tissue samples by PCR, 30% higher than the conventional pepsin digestion technique.ConclusionOur findings demonstrated that the PCR assay is a sensitive and specific for the detection of T. cati larvae. Therefore, it could become a useful tool for the investigation of the dynamics of larval migration and Toxocara infection in murine model.

Isolation and Diagnosis of Intestinal Helminthes from Stray Cats in Kirkuk City

In the present study 25 stray cats were collected and dissected in order to identify and diagnose the intestinal parasitic helminthes. The results of the study demonstrated the infection of all stray cats with one or more parasitic helmithes. The identified helminthes belonged to: three species of trematodes which were Echinochasmus sp. (4%), Heterophyes sp. (4%) and Prohemistomum sp. (4%), four species of cestodes which were Diplopylidium sp. (24%), Dipylidium caninum 48%, Joyeuxiella pasqualei sp. (16%) and Taenia taeniaformis (12%), and three species of nematodes which were Physaloptera preputalis (4%), Toxocara cati (8%) and Toxoascaris leonina (8%). Three species of trematodes (Echinochasmus, Heterophyes, Prohemistomum) were isolated for the first time from stray cats in Iraq.

Identification and Morphometric Analysis of Toxocara cati in Domestic Cat at Ontosenovet Animal Clinic Malang

Toxocariasis is a worm disease caused by infection of Toxocara cati. This study aims to identify the etiology, clinical symptoms, diagnosis, morphometry of eggs and worms in domestic cats at the Ontosenovet Animal Clinic Malang. The results of physical examination reveal enlargement of the abdomen, dull hair and hair loss. Hematological examination results showed a decrease in platelets, RDW-VC, and RDW-SD, an increase in lymphocytes, and MCHC. Examination of feces and worms and eggs is carried out at the Parasitology Laboratory of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Brawijaya. Stool examination is carried out using native and floating methods which showed the presence of worm eggs in the second method. The eggs show a slightly elongated or oval shape, thick walls, and a mottled surface. Worm eggs have an average length of 71,61 μm and a width of 59,87 μm. Worms obtained from cat vomit were then made preparations with Acetocarmine staining. The results of worm observations show three lips on the anterior, posterior end of digitiform and curved to the ventral. The results of morphometric measurements of adult T. cati show that the diameter of the worm, the length of the posterior end of the worm, and the width of the lips obtained an average of 754,14 μm, 545,19 μm, and 314,87 μm respectively. Overall body lengths of worm samples 1, 2, and 3 are 7,50 cm, 8,70 cm, and 7,80 cm with an average of 8,00 cm. Based on the examination the cat had toxocariasis due to Toxocara cati. The therapy given is an anthelmintic Drontal (¾ tablet) which contained 20 mg praziquantel and 80 mg pyrantel.

Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii and Toxocara cati Among Stray and Household Cats and Cat Owners in Tehran, Iran.

Toxoplasma gondii and Toxocara spp. are the most critical parasites common between humans and cats. The close association of cats with humans in urban areas persuaded us to investigate the prevalence of these parasites in stray and household cats and their possible role in the owners' infection. Herein, 132 and 33 fecal samples of stray and household cats, respectively, and 33 blood samples of their owners were collected in Tehran, Iran. The prevalence of T. gondii was determined by targeting the B1 gene in the feces of stray and household cats and the blood of cat owners. Furthermore, genotypes of T. gondii were identified based on the multilocus genotyping of BTUB, GRA6, SAG3, and APICO loci. Toxocara spp. were detected by targeting the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of the ribosomal DNA of these parasites in the cats' feces and the humans' blood. Also, Toxocara IgG was assessed in the human serum samples. The B1 gene amplification showed that 15.2% of stray cats, 18.2% of household cats, and 51.5% of cat owners were infected with T. gondii. The multilocus sequence analysis revealed the predominance of genotype I of T. gondii in stray cats and genotype II of T. gondii in household cats and cat owners. The amplifying of ITS-2 revealed a high prevalence of T. cati infection (47.0%) in stray cats, whereas no infection was found in the feces of household cats or the serum of cat owners. Likewise, Toxocara IgG was not detected in the serum of humans. The lower prevalence of T. gondii in stray/household cats than in the cat owners indicates the limited impact of close contact with infected cats in human toxoplasmosis. However, the high prevalence of T. cati infection in stray cats can cause contamination of the environment by excreting eggs that may lead to infecting humans through soil or water. Therefore, public health education in urban management planning is necessary for routine urban cat deworming programs and for training the healthcare workers to prevent, control, and treat these infections.

Intestinal Helminth Infections and Risk Factors in Companion Cats of Dhaka, Bangladesh

The present study was intended to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors for parasitic infection in companion cats from Dhaka, Bangladesh. A total of 216 fecal samples of companion cats from Dhaka city were collected. A questionnaire survey was conducted among the cat owners to collect various data on the companion cats viz. age, breed, food, clinical issues, behavior etc. Double centrifugal flotation technique was used to process the fecal samples. In total 70 fecal samples of cat were found to be infected with at least one helminth parasite. Hookworms showed the highest prevalence (9.26%) followed by Trichuris vulpis (7.41%), Dipylidium spp. (6.02%) and Toxocara cati (4.63%). Parasitic infections were prevalent among the cats aged one to two years old (71.43%). Local breed cats were more prone to parasitic infections (67.14%). Outdoor access (70%), irregular deworming (50%) and providing homemade food (70%) were significantly associated with high prevalence of parasitic infections (P < 0.05). The maximum helminth positive cats were found to have irregular bowel movement or constipation (22.86%) and sneezing (22.86%) (P=0.000). The maximum helminth infected cats showed aggression towards other animals (34.28%). Behaviors such as scratching furniture’s (17.14%) and excessive vocalization (15.71%) were also common among the infected cats. A total of 182 (84.26%) cat owners had idea about zoonosis whereas 34 (15.74%) were unaware of it. The owners who knew about zoonosis, their cats were mostly free of infection (93.15%). Pet owners’ alertness towards cats’ behavior, clinical symptoms, prophylactic measures and overall hygiene management may be operative to lower the possibility of zoonotic transmission of parasites. Bangladesh J. Zool. 50 (1): 95-105, 2022

Association between toxocariasis seropositivity and serointensity and cognitive function in older U.S. adults.

The nematodes Toxocara canis (Werner, 1782) and Toxocara cati (Schrank, 1788) have been associated with worse human cognitive function in children and middle-aged adults. In this study, we sought to determine the association between Toxocara seropositivity and serointensity determined by detection of IgG antibodies against the Toxocara antigen recombinant Tc-CTL-1 and cognitive function in older adults, including approximately 1,350 observations from the 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Mean fluorescence intensity was used to quantify IgG antibodies against the Toxocara recombinant Tc-CTL-1 antigen, and respondents were considered positive at values greater than 23.1. In adjusted models from sample sizes ranging from 1,274 to 1,288 depending on the individual cognitive task, we found that Toxocara seropositivity was associated with worse performance on the animal-fluency task (b = -1.245, 95% CI: -2.392 to -0.099, P< 0.05) and the digit-symbol coding task (b = -5.159, 95% CI: -8.337 to -1.980, P< 0.001). Toxocara serointensity assessed using log-transformed mean fluorescence intensity as a continuous variable was associated with worse performance on the digit-symbol coding task (b = -1.880, 95% CI: -2.976 to -0.783, P < 0.001). There were no significant associations with tasks assessing memory. Further, age modified the association between Toxocara and cognitive function, although sex, educational attainment, and income did not. These findings suggest that Toxocara might be associated with deficits in executive function and processing speed in older U.S. adults, although additional research is required to better describe cognitive function in older adults who are seropositive for Toxocara spp.

Toxocara cati ile Doğal Enfekte Kedilerde Fenbendazol+Pyrantel Pamoate ve Praziquantel Kombinasyonunun Etkinliğinin Belirlenmesi

Bu çalışmada Toxocara cati ile doğal enfekte kedilerde fenbendazol (50 mg/kg), pyrantel pamoate (20 mg/kg) ve praziquantel (5 mg/kg) kombinasyonunun etkinliğinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmaya dahil edilecek kedilerin belirlenebilmesi amacıyla kliniğe getirilen ve enfeksiyondan şüphelenilen hayvanlardan alınan dışkılar önce doymuş tuzlu su flotasyon yöntemiyle incelenmiştir. Daha sonra T. cati yönünden pozitif bulunan kedilerdeki enfeksiyon yükünü belirlemek için Mc Master yöntemi uygulanmıştır. Gram dışkıdaki yumurta sayısı (EPG) 250 ve üzeri olan toplam 10 kedi çalışmaya dahil edilmiştir. Tedavi öncesinde bu kedilerden dışkı alınarak EPG değerleri belirlenmiş ve canlı ağırlıklarına göre tablet formundaki fenbendazol+ pyrantel pamoate ve praziquantel kombinasyonu oral yolla verilmiştir. Kediler çalışma süresince klinikte ayrı bir bölmede barındırılmış ve gözlem altına alınmıştır. Tedaviden sonraki 7, 14 ve 21. günlerde bu kedilerden tekrar dışkı alınarak EPG değerleri belirlenmiştir. Tedavi edilen on kediden sekizinin dışkılarında 7, 14 ve 21. günlerde T. cati yumurtalarına rastlanılmamıştır. Ancak bir kedide 14 ve 21. günlerde, bir kedide de tedavi sonrasındaki her üç örnekleme gününde yapılan dışkı muayenesinde yumurtalara rastlanmıştır. Tedaviden sonraki örnekleme zamanlarının hepsinde de (7, 14, 21) ilacın etkinliği %98’in üzerinde bulunmuştur. Bununla birlikte iki kedinin dışkısında parazit yumurtalarının tespit edilmiş olması göz ardı edilmemelidir. Bu nedenle bu antihelmintik kombinasyonuyla yapılacak olan tedavilerinden 7-14 gün sonra dışkı muayenesi yapılarak tedavinin etkinliği gözlenmeli ve gerekirse tedavi tekrarlanmalıdır.

Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati in Stray Dogs and Cats in Bangkok, Thailand: Molecular Prevalence and Risk Factors

Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati are known as common roundworm in dogs and cats, respectively. The objective of the current study was to determine the molecular prevalence and risk factors associated with T. canis and T. cati infections in stray dogs and cats, respectively, in Bangkok, Thailand. In total, 1000 fecal samples (from 500 dogs and 500 cats) were collected from stray dogs and cats residing in Bangkok temples. DNA was extracted and screened for T. canis and T. cati using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. The overall prevalence of T. canis in the stray dogs was 5.4% (27/500) and 0.6% (3/500) for T. cati in the stray cats. Toxocara canis infections were detected in stray dogs from 11 out of 48 districts (22.9%), with Bang Khen district having the highest proportion of infected dogs, whereas T. cati infections were only detected in the stray cats in Lat Krabang district. These results indicated that stray animals residing in Bangkok temples pose a considerable public health risk due to zoonotic parasites, especially T. canis.

Toxocara cati and Toxoplasma gondii in French Birds of Prey.

Parasites have developed many strategies to ensure their development, multiplication, and dissemination, including the use of reservoir hosts that are often nondomesticated species. Despite drastic reductions in their populations, wild birds remain widespread worldwide and could constitute some of these reservoirs. We focused on the identification of wild bird species harboring parasite stages in their muscles. Breast muscles of 327 birds of 27 different species were collected at three different sites in France. After artificial digestion, isolated nematode larvae were identified by PCR sequencing or restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Toxocara cati was identified mainly in birds of prey. The presence of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies was investigated by modified agglutination test on muscle fluids. Anti-Toxoplasma antibodies were detected in 65 out of 166 samples from various bird species. Avifauna, particularly birds of prey, could help on the surveillance of parasite circulation and play a role as sentinel species.

Gastrointestinal parasites in domestic cat (Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758) in Oran, Algeria: emergent zoonotic species and associated risk factors

Among protozoa and helminths parasites of the cat’s digestive tract, some constitute a problem for public health, due to their zoonotic potential. An identification of gastrointestinal parasites is therefore necessary to control their distribution. The aims of the present study were to determine prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in domestic cat in Oran, western Algeria, and to identify risk factors associated with parasitism. One hundred and two fecal samples were collected from 102 domestic cats during period from February to July 2021, and analyzed using two coprological technics, sucrose flotation and Ritchie method. Age, sex, breed, eating habits and lifestyle of each cat were recorded to identify risk factors by using a bivariate test, Chi2 test. Sixty-two (60.8%) cats were infected with at least one intestinal parasite. Six species were identified: Toxocara cati (43.1%), Dipylidium caninum (15.7%), Toxascaris leonina (7.8%), Cystoisospora rivolta (5.9%), Giardia duodenalis (2%) and Cystoisospora felis (1%). The occurrence of co-infections was observed in 13.7% of cats. Young age, hunting behavior, outdoors access and raw chicken meat consummation are identified as factors significantly linked to contamination by gastrointestinal parasites. The findings showed that there is a significant infestation of domestic cats by the parasitic helminths, such as Toxocara cati, wich has a major public health impact. This suggests that immediate action may be carried to reduce infection rates in cats by implementing preventive antiparasitic treatments and to sensitize cats owners about zoonotic diseases risk.

DOMINANT HELMINTHS AND HELMINTOZOONOSIS OF THE STRAY CATS IN MOSCOW MEGAPOLIS

The purpose of the article was to determine the infestation with dominant helminths and helminthozoonosis of stray cats in the Moscow megapolis. Coproovoscopic examinations were conducted in the spring, summer and autumn of 2021. A total of 172 stray cats were examined, including 59 stray kittens under one year old. Infestation of stray cats with helminthozoonosis Toxocara cati, Toxascaris leonina, Dipylidium caninum and helminth Taenia spp. was revealed. In previous years, we conducted studies of circus and Zoo carnivores of the feliform (Felidae), which were infested with various parasites, including helminthozoonosis. With Toxocara cati (=T. mystax) were infested: circus cats with EI (extensiveness of invasion) =10%, lions with EI=25%, Siberian tigers with EI=41.6%, leopards with EI=50%, and with Toxascaris leonina – circus Amur tigers and lions with EI = 100% and with the maximum number of eggs of Toxascaris in the summer – more than 21 000 in 1 g of feces. Helminthozoonosis Toxocara cati, Toxascaris leonina: domestic, circus and stray cats can be a source of human disease (especially children) and most often in the larval form larva migrans viscerale. Toxocara cati reached its maximum value in kittens under one year old in autumn (EI = 39.1%), and in stray cats older than a year in spring (EI = 36%). Toxascaris leonina was not found in stray kittens under one year old, and in stray cats older than a year, the maximum invasion value reached in spring (EI=20%). Dipylidium caninum in stray kittens reached the maximum value of invasion in spring (EI=47.6%) and autumn (EI=43.5%), and in stray cats older than a year in autumn (EI=50%). Taenia spp. in stray kittens under one year old, the maximum value of infestation reached in summer (EI=6.7%), and in stray cats older than a year in summer (EI=17.6%). Parasitic diseases contribute to the weakening of the immunity of animals and create more favorable conditions for the infestation of animals with viral and bacterial infections. Therefore, the detection of helminths and helminthozoonosis of not only Zoo, circus, domestic representatives of the feliform (Felidae), but also homeless cats remains an urgent problem of healing and prevention from parasitic diseases, which was the purpose of our article.

Detection of Toxocara cati Larvae in a Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) and in a Red Kite (Milvus milvus) in Basilicata Region, Italy.

Simple SummaryIn this study we report the detection of Toxocara cati larvae in the muscle tissue of two birds of prey, a red kite (Milvus milvus) and a common buzzard (Buteo buteo), received in our laboratory as part of the Wildlife Monitoring and Control Plan of the Basilicata Region (Italy). To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of identification of T. cati larvae in these two species.Toxocara cati is a common parasite of wild and domestic felines, and presents a cosmopolitan distribution. Adult parasites localize in the gut of the definitive host giving rise to the infection, which usually runs asymptomatic. These worms produce eggs that are excreted with feces into the environment, where they become a source of infection for paratenic hosts, such as mammals, birds, and invertebrates. In this brief communication, we report the detection of T. cati larvae in a common buzzard (Buteo buteo) and a red kite (Milvus milvus), in the Basilicata Region of Italy. This result may be important to define new pathways of spread and survival of T. cati in the wild.

High Toxocara cati prevalence in wild, free-ranging Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in Finland, 1999-2015.

In Finland, free-ranging Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population has grown from 30 to 40 individuals to 2800 individuals since the species became partly protected in 1962. Changes in host population size are known to have an impact on host-parasite dynamics, and the Eurasian lynx population in Finland provides a unique opportunity for studying the potential effects of dramatic population increase and expansion of a solitary apex predator on their parasite prevalence and abundance. Toxocara cati is a zoonotic gastrointestinal parasite infecting domestic cats and wild felids worldwide. We studied T. cati infection prevalence and worm burden in 2756 Eurasian lynx individuals from Finland, covering the years 1999–2015. Toxocara cati worms that had been collected from intestinal contents were identified based on morphology. We performed regression analyses to investigate possible associations of age, sex, and host population density with T. cati infection. We found T. cati from 2324 (84.3%, 95% confidence interval 82.9–86.0) of the examined lynx. Each year, the infection prevalence was higher than 75% and not density dependent. The parasites were strongly aggregated, with older individuals harboring fewer T. cati than younger ones did. Old females aged 9–15 years had higher T. cati abundance than males of the same age group. Our results indicate that T. cati was a common and abundant parasite of Eurasian lynx throughout the study period, regardless of the changing population size and density.

Toxocara canis- and Toxocara cati-Induced Neurotoxocarosis Is Associated with Comprehensive Brain Transcriptomic Alterations.

Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati are globally occurring zoonotic roundworms of dogs and cats. Migration and persistence of Toxocara larvae in the central nervous system of paratenic hosts including humans may cause clinical signs of neurotoxocarosis (NT). As pathomechanisms of NT and host responses against Toxocara larvae are mostly unknown, whole-genome microarray transcription analysis was performed in cerebra and cerebella of experimentally infected C57Bl/6J mice as paratenic host model at days 14, 28, 70, 98, and 120 post-infection. Neuroinvasion of T. cati evoked 220 cerebral and 215 cerebellar differentially transcribed genes (DTGs), but no particular PANTHER (Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships) pathway was affected. In T. canis-infected mice, 1039 cerebral and 2073 cerebellar DTGs were identified. Statistically significant dysregulations occurred in various pathways, including cholesterol biosynthesis, apoptosis signaling, and the Slit/Robo mediated axon guidance as well as different pathways associated with the immune and defense response. Observed dysregulations of the cholesterol biosynthesis, as well as the Alzheimer disease-amyloid secretase pathway in conjunction with previous histopathological neurodegenerative findings, may promote the discussion of T. canis as a causative agent for dementia and/or Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, results contribute to a deeper understanding of the largely unknown pathogenesis and host-parasite interactions during NT, and may provide the basis for prospective investigations evaluating pathogenic mechanisms or designing novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Toxocara cati

This datasheet on Toxocara cati covers Identity, Distribution, Hosts/Species Affected.

Intestinal parasites in captive wild animals at four zoological gardens in Northeast China

Objective: In order to investigate the prevalence of intestinal parasites in captive wild animals in four zoological gardens in Heilongjiang Province of Northeast China. Method: From September 2016 to September 2020, fecal samples were collected from Harbin North Forest Zoo, Jiamusi Water Source Mountain Park, Qiqihar Longsha Zoological and Botanical Gardens, and Jixi City Zoo. The morphological identification of eggs or oocysts was carried out using the water washing precipitation method, saturated saline floatation method, and saturated sucrose floatation method. Results: The overall parasite positive detection rate in the four zoos were 18.33% (33/180), 21.69%(18/83), 22.22%(8/36), and 26.32%(10/38), respectively. The most prevalent parasitic species of Carnivora, Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Primates, and Aves were Ascaridoidea, Trichuris spp., and Contracaecum sp. Zoonotic parasites were also observed (Toxocara cati, Spirometra mansoni, Trichostrongylus sp.). Conclusions: The results are beneficial in assisting zoo management to formulate and implement preventive and control measures against the spread of infectious parasitic diseases among the animals or to humans.

Gastrointestinal Parasites in Animals and Birds of Sepahijala Zoological Park, Tripura

The present study was conducted to find out gastrointestinal parasitism of captive wild animals and birds of Sepahijala Zoological Park, Tripura, India. A total of 33 faecal samples were collected from captive wild animals and birds and examined for the presence of parasite eggs/ova. The present study revealed 57.58% of captive animals and birds were found to harbour different parasite eggs/ ova. The prevalence of different gastrointestinal parasitism in wild captive carnivores, herbivores and omnivore were found to be 46.67%, 77.78% and 55.56% respectively. Among the helminths, nematodes like strongyles, Trichuris, Strongyloides, Toxocara cati, Ascaridia and Capillaria, trematodes like amphistomes and Paragonimus and cestodes like Diphyllobothrium latum were observed. Eimeria spp. was the only protozoan parasite detected during the present study. This indicates that an undetermined number of wild animals may be parasitized without showing any clinical signs of infection.

Multicenter randomized, and blinded European field study evaluating the efficacy and safety of Felpreva®, a novel spot-on formulation containing tigolaner, emodepside and praziquantel, in treating cats with mixed infection with intestinal nematodes, cestodes and/or lungworms

This paper describes a multicentric field study which has evaluated the safety and efficacy of a novel spot on formulation containing emodepside 2.04% w/v, praziquantel 8.14% w/v and tigolaner 9.79% w/v (Felpreva®, Vetoquinol) when administered at the intended commercial dose of 0.15 ml/kg body weight to privately owned cats infected with major intestinal nematodes (Toxocara cati, Toxascaris leonina, Ancylostoma tubaeforme, Uncinaria stenocephala) and/or cestodes (Dipylidium caninum, Taenia taeniaeformis) and/or lungworms (Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Troglostrongylus brevior). A total of 219 cats from 26 veterinary clinics located in Albania, Greece, Hungary, Italy and Portugal were included in the study. Feces from the cats were examined on a single occasion between Study Day −7 and Day 0 (baseline) and post-treatment (i) twice between Day 7 and Day 14 (± 2) (for intestinal helminths) or (ii) twice between Day 21 (± 2) and Day 28 (± 2) (for lungworms). Cats were allocated into two groups at a ratio of 2:1 (Felpreva®: Profender®, i.e. a commercial control product containing emodepside and praziquantel). Cats infected with intestinal helminths were treated once on Day 0 (i) with Felpreva® (Group 1) or (ii) with Profender® (Group 2). Animals infected with lungworms received a second treatment with Profender® on Day 14 (± 2) regardless of group allocation. Faecal egg or larval count reduction for Felpreva® was 97.47% for intestinal nematodes and 96.80% for lungworms. No cats infected with cestodes at baseline resulted positive after treatment with Felpreva®. However, the low number of cats (n = 10) did not allow for a statistical analysis to be performed. Non-inferiority of Felpreva® compared to Profender® was statistically demonstrated for all target intestinal and respiratory parasites. No adverse events nor application site reactions were observed. These results show that the new topical combination product Felpreva® is highly safe and efficacious in treating infections caused by major species of feline intestinal nematodes, cestodes and lungworms under field conditions.

Environmental Contamination of Different Areas of Isfahan Province of Iran with Toxocara spp. Eggs using Molecular Methods.

Toxocariasis is a parasitic disease caused by the larval stage of Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati. Infective stage of this parasite for human develops on soil. So, in this work contamination of the soil of public environments in five geographical areas of Isfahan province of Iran has been investigated. In this descriptive study, 355 soil samples were collected from parks, children's playgrounds, student dormitories, and university environments, and examined by Flotation method. The samples were then inspected using microscopic and molecular methods. From the 355 examined soil samples in 77 (21.69%), and 87 (24.50%) cases Toxocara eggs were detected by microscopic and molecular methods, respectively. In the molecular method, 31 (8.70%) cases of T. cati and 44 (12.39%) cases of T. canis were identified. Toxocara eggs were identified in all areas of Isfahan province, although contamination rate was higher in Fereydun Shahr and Semirum counties.

Inbreeding status and implications for Amur tigers

AbstractInbreeding more likely occurs in small, isolated and endangered populations, and may influence the sustainable survival of a population. As the Amur tiger Panthera tigris altaica population in China experienced a severe decline in the 1990s, the recovering population may be prone to inbreeding and its potential impacts on population health. However, the inbreeding status has not been evaluated and relationships with health remain poorly understood in wild animals. Based on the genetic samples collected from the main Amur tiger habitats in China, this study analyzed the population inbreeding level, major histocompatibility complex polymorphism, parasitic infections and gut microbial structures and functions, and then explored the influence of inbreeding on these traits. Our results indicated that more than 50% of individual relationships were in cousin or half sibs, and 22.73% of individuals had moderate or high inbreeding coefficients. There was a significant positive correlation between the inbreeding level of an individual and the Toxocara cati parasitic load. Gut microbiota community structure and function were also impacted by inbreeding intensity. In conclusion, results indicate that the Amur tiger population in China has reached a moderate level of inbreeding and that there are direct interactions between inbreeding intensity and parasitic load and gut microbiota. This study thus provides an early warning on the Amur tiger population health and should prompt the construction of national and international ecological corridors and/or the re‐introduction of new individuals to relieve the evident inbreeding pressure.