Parasitologic examination and associated risk factors of domestic dogs at the domestic-wildlife interface in the Iberá wetlands Ecoregion, Argentina

NATALINI, BELEN; GENNUSO, SOL; BELDOMENICO, PABLO M.; RIGONATTO, TERESITA; KOWALEWSKI, MARTIN M.

Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports

Elsevier

Año: 2020 vol. 20

2405-9390

The wildlife-domestic interface represents points of contact between wild animals and human-associated domesticanimals, and provides opportunities for the dissemination and transmission of parasitic agents. Domesticdogs are reservoirs of parasitic agents, many of which are capable of infecting wild animals. To better investigatethis potential risk at the Iberá wetlands eco-region, fecal samples from dogs present at the wildlife-domesticinterface of two protected areas in Corrientes province, Argentina were examined. The prevalence of intestinalparasites and overall generic richness were examined and associations with age, sex, body condition, anthelmintictreatments and dog movement restriction were explored. From August?September 2017, questionnaireswere carried out and fecal samples collected from 51 dogs at the interface zones. The overall estimated prevalenceof gastrointestinal parasites was 63%. Nine genera of helminths and four protozoans were found in theexamined dogs, many of which are known to infect wild carnivores and several have zoonotic potential.Ancylostoma and Isospora were the most prevalent genera. Freedom to roam was positively associated withprevalence and richness. From all dogs in our study, only a small proportion (17%) is subjected to some degree ofmovement restriction, while most dogs were free roaming. Veterinary health care and treatment was also extremelylimited. The findings of this study revealed conditions of high prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites,lack of veterinary care and unrestricted roaming; all circumstances that suggest that dogs that live at theseinterface zones pose an infection risk to sympatric wildlife.