Survey of Dogs' Parasites in Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran

Background: Dog is known to act as definitive host for some parasites that cause important diseases in man and animals. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Neospora caninum and other intestinal parasites in dogs in Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran. Methods: A cross-sectional Study was done concerning frequency of N. canium and other intestinal parasites in dogs in Mashhad area. Totally, 174 fecal samples from 89 farm dogs and 85 household dogs were collected from 2006 to 2007. Fecal samples were examined for detecting intestinal parasites by Mini Parasep (R) SF faecal parasite concentrator in Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran Results: The overall prevalence of other intestinal parasites in farm dogs and household dogs were 29.21% and 14.11%, respectively. Seven parasites were found in farm dogs as follows: Toxocara canis 17.9%, Taenia sp. 10.1%, Strongyloides stercoralis 5.6%, Hammondia Neospora-like oocysts (HNLO) 4.4%, Isospora sp. 7.8%, Sarcocystis sp. 7.8% and Giardia sp. 1.1% and four parasite in housed dogs: Toxocara. 4.4%, Taenia sp. 3.3%, Isospora sp. 2.3% and Sarcocystis sp. 4.7%. The fecal samples with HNLO were examined by N. caninum-specific PCR, and two of samples were positive for N. caninum. Conclusion: The farm and household dogs are the Source of some important zoonotic and non-zoonotic diseases in Iran.