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Epidemiology Of Digestive Helminthosis From Urban Area Of Cluj-Napoca,

Romania

Article · September 2005

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322

Buletin USAMV-CN, 62/2005 (322-329)

ISSN 1454-2382

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF DIGESTIVE HELMINTHOSIS FROM URBAN

AREA OF CLUJ-NAPOCA, ROMANIA

Ardelean A.I.! , E. ~uteu2, V. Cozma2

IDirectia Sanitar Veterinara ~i pentru Siguranta Alimentelor Cluj, Laborator Sanitar Veterinar de Stat,
Compartiment Histopatologie; P-ta Mar~ti nT.I, Cluj-Napoca, e-mail: adrian.a@mail.dntcj.ro;
2 University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 3-5
Man~tur street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Key words: digestive helmintosis, Toxocara canis, dog, prevalence.

Abstract: The epidemiologic studies were made in the interval of 1996-2001, collected and tested
3465 samples from 1662 dogs, grouped in 7 classes by age. watching the prevalence. The medium prevalence of
parasitism were for: Toxocara canis 17.15%, Ancylostomidae spp 12.58%., Trichuris vu/pis 5.60, Strongyloides
stercoralis 1.62%, Taenidae spp 4.75%., Dipylidium caninum O,02%. The proportion of digestive helminthosis
showed variation related with dogs age classes, with maximum at categories under 3 months of age in the case of
toxocarosis, 3-6 months of age in the strongyloidosis case, 9-12 months of age in the case of ancylostomosis,
trichocephalosis, an dipylidiosis, and from over 5 years of age in the case of teniasis. The sex of dogs played
like an indifferent factor.

INTRODUCTION

The benefits of human-dog bound were proved either in emotional and social
development of children, in emotional comfort of aging and people with disabilities, reducing
the visit to doctor and drugs consumption. The risks of this contact must be care, in this
instances the knowledge of potential sources contaminants status is important. The
prophylactic program can be well managed if were based by the identification of potential risk
factor moreover if it is applied at the higher risk categories: children under 5 years, pregnant
women, old people, and immunocopromised people. This studies have the objective to
establish the carrier status of owned dog from urban area of municipality Cluj-Napoca
(Romania), who have a population environ 300.000 citizens.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

The 3465 fecal samples were collected from 1662 owned dogs from Cluj-Napoca. In
the period of 1996-2001, and were tested through Willis method. The samples were collected
from 3 consecutive days. The dogs were divided by age and were collected 476, 597, 355,
225, 678 and 367 fecal sample from age categories: under 3 months old, 3-6 months old, 6-.9
months old, 9-12 months old, 1-2 years old, 2-5 years old, over 5 years old. The samples were
tested for preventive control at asymptomatic dogs moreover at dogs older than 1 year, but
either for diagnosis at the puppies. The dog population in Cluj-Napoca, from official records
were: 3962 in 1996 and were tested from 181, in 1997 were 3671 and from 612 tested, in
1998 were 3368 and 591 t¥sted, in 1999 were 3472 and 522 tested, in 2000 were 3320 and
215 tested, and in 2001 were 3220 and 115 tested.

,
 323

RESULTS AND DISCUSION

The medium prevalence of parasitism were for: Toxocara canis (T.canis)17.l5%,

Ancylostomidae spp. (A. spp.) 12.58%., Trichuris vulpis (I'. vulpis) 5.60, Strongyloides
stercoralis (8. stercoralis) 1.62%, Taenidae spp (T. spp) 4.75%., Dipylidium caninum (D.
caninum)0.02%.
The median proportion between the collected samples and the presence of: T.canis
were 8.23%, A. spp. were 6.03,T. vulpis were 2.72, 8. stercoralis were 0.25, T. spp were 2.28,
D. caninum were 0.78 (Table. 1-7).
"
43 4014
273
3465
1003
1004
147
820
355
27
71
476
95
225
597
1997
11
162
1998
61
137
170
196
109
11
1999
58
116
127
75
22
214
767
37
38
108
191
177
89
154
2000
TOTAL
2001
29
12
13
54
73
241'
39
367
678
187 217
18
21
51
1996
19
13
52
Samples collected

year 0010
32
1997
2000
4733
962
57
14
16 311 92001
80321999
TOTAL
427
228
66 1998
8111
18415
32285
10
101 11996
0483'. 0370516

year 532
786
2836209
7200004727
44 3258
1998
TOTAL11
10
35
54
17
64086 625115
38
43
12
1997
1999
2001
10
11 61
1996
e spp.

I
3702000
43 3512001
1999
1998
TOTAL
061997
3110
12
1 101996
1
 324

1-2 years 96
63 495019
496231II
128 16
083 420

I 3292001
1998
02000
519991997
0 003 1996
0TOTAL
s stercoralis s

I I
3402TOTAL
23
2000
1997 3022
56 124805
7
1999
1998
2001012
976 29203
11996

I I
202000 01I73 0I 1996
540TOTAL
23862001
1999
1998
1997
aninum

The proportion of positive samples were closed related with age. In the case of Tcanis
have demonstrated the higher differences, with maximum proportion in the first categories of
age of 21.22%, fallowed with accelerated decline until 4.13% from 9-12 months of age, and
continue until 2.18% from last age categories. (Fig. 1)
 325

c13.74
'"
5.002.18 4.13 8.23
4.44 ,",~ -~.. 9.58
-, 21.22
Total 10.00
20.00
15.00
25.00 3.91
1-2 ani
i 3-6luni>5 ani 9-121uni
6-9luni 11:1%1

Fig.i. The proportion of positive samples of Toxocara canis depending on age.

A.spp. had an different evolution regarded T.canis, with maximum

proportion of
10.67% from 9-12 months of age categories, after that recede to 4.56% from 2-5 years of age
categories, with raising to 8.17% from last age ~oup (Fig. 2).

Total10.00
4.00
2.00
8.00
6.00
12.00 .10 4.56 6.03
5.03 8.17
7.96
7.32 10.67
·6luni 0-31unl
uni >5 anI
ani 1-2 ani
0.00

Fig. 2. The proportion of positive samples of Ancylostomidae spp.depending on age.

T. vulpis showed similar evolution with A. spp. with maximum proportion of 4.89%
from 9-12 months of age group, after that recede to 2.09% from 2-5 years of age group, with
raising to 2.72% from last categorie (Fig. 3).

,
Total 2.00
4.00
6.00
1.00
3.00
5.00 2.092.68
1.261.68 2.72 4.13
1m % , 3.38 4.89
>5 ani1-20-3luni
ani I

Fig. 3.The proportion of positive samples of T. vu/pis .depending on age.

326

In the case of S. stercoralis, its proportion not beyond 0.5%, the highest level be
founded at age 3-6 months and 0.44% at 9-12 months (Fig.4).

--------.--.-------
----------l
Total ~~~~~iiJI 0.26

>5 ani 0.00 [t:l%j I

1·2 ani 0.29
9.121uni ~_. _ 0.44

~55--~'-
6-9luni 0.28
3-6 luni
2-5ani 0~.26::: 0.50
0-3 luni 0.00
0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60
I

FigA. The proportion of positive samples of S slercoralis .depending on age.

Total _. 2.28
>5 ani
2-5 ani
1-2 ani -
9·12
6·9luni 1.69
3-6luni 2.01
0-3 luni -- --~-.". 0.84
0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00

Fig. 5. The proportion of positive samples of Taenidae spp .depending on age.

The cestodosis showed a different proportions, but we have reserve because of

difficulties of diagnosis. Such, the proportion of Taenidae spp. had a progressive evolution
with maximum value of 3.27 % at last category of age over the 5 years old, different of D.
caninum whom registered a progressive and regressive evolution, with maximum value of
1.78% at 9-12 category of age (Fig 5,6).
 327

Total 0.78
>5 ani
2-5 ani
1-2 ani 1.18
9-121uni 1.78
6-9luni 0.56
3-6luni 0.17
0-3luni

0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00

Fig. 6. The proportion of positive samples of D. caninum depending on age.

1999
1998
1997
5.60
12.64
1.96
15.35
7.19
12.58
10.43
12.56
j.64
13.73
17.15
10.13
7.03
0.16
• 3.76
6.96
4.19
om 1.66
8.84
.97
').21
prevalence of di om
JOOO
0.00
0.02
4.75
3.72
4.21
1.62
1996-2001
0.04
4.58
7.28
0.82
1.74
JOOI
5.07 8.29
Table 8,The estive helmintosis in the survelliance periods .
1996

The studies showed the prevailing of parasites infection with Toxocara canis (medium
prevalence of 17.15%) and Ancylostomidae spp. (medium prevalence of 12.58%). The higher
prevalence of T. canis can be caused because more samples }¥ere collected from young dogs
comparative with mature dogs (Table 8 , Fig. 7.)

Fig. 7. The prevalence of digestive helmintosis in dogs in 1996-2001 period, in urban

area,

The prevalence of digestive helminfosis in dogs in

period 1996-2001

1.62 4.75
• Toxocara canis

[J Ancylostorridae spp.
m Trichuris vulpis
[J Strongyloides stercoralis
I!JTaenidae spp.
III Dipylidium caninum

The prevalence of toxocarosis can be related with: existence of higher source of

contamination (because of transplacental transmission), the anabolic status from growing
period, psycho-social development, and feeding behavior
328

The poor hygiene associate with existence of higher source of egg shedding, let the
times of 3 weeks require for eggs to become infesting, and in former feeding behavior with
alimentary deficiency determine the puppy to find alternative sources of food. The coat poor
hygiene let the risk of carrier of eggs by the hair. All this risk factors can be found in kennels
at the higher risk of age.
The rebound of Ancylostoma spp. can be caused by environmental source of
contamination and the active behavior of puberty and adult dogs. Because of absence of
certainty diagnosis method in cestodosis, it is hard to appreciate them real prevalence.

22.22
42.11
35.4464.56
3465
14
993
79
48.15
45.16
43.6171896
115
1.38
1.25
42.5855.02
27
209
285
Total
166
M/F
3.50
51
1.08
1.82
1.21
1.290.55
240.77
51.85
77.78
54.84
58.25
54.7280.72
0.80
0.93
0.29
0.82
28 29rate
13
1511
120
Table 9.FThe
propotion
M
Male F/M
propotion
influence (M)rateof sex in digestive helmintosis in dogs.
M=
Ratemale:
between
Proportion of female male.]
and male:
Female(F)

The sex factor not showed any important changes, and it is like an indifferent one
(Table 9).
This study showed an important differences results of prevalence of parasites, between
the owned dogs and stray dogs. Such, the owned dogs from urban area of Cluj-Napoca, had a
lowest prevalence of digestive helminthosis (6), and lowest than the prevalence revealed in
rural and urban area in other country (3), moreover in the case of Toxocara canis.

CONCLUSIONS

• The higher risk period for Toxocara canis contamination is until 4 months of age, and
for the other digestive helmintosis are 9-12 months and coincide with the puberty.
Attention care must be give to the puppy in this period, proper training and feeding for
the dog and proper education of the owner. The sex of dogs, play like an indifferent
factor.
• Because the most samples were collected from heath dogs (the dogs older than 1 year
of age), indicate the presence of high number of asymptomatic carrier, fact who justify
the implementation of a screening program and periodic preventive treatment against
helmintosis and fleas.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Bowman D. Dwight, Randy Carl Lynn (1999) Geogis' Parasitology for Veterinarians, ed. a VII-a, W.B.
Sounders Co.,Phiiadelphia,255-284;
2. Dulceanu N., Cristina Terinte (1994) Parazitologie veterinara Ed. Moldova, Iasi, 565-935;
3. Fok E., V. Szatmari, K. Busak, F. Rozgonyi, (2001) Prevalence of intestinal parasites in dogs in some
urban and rural areas of Hungary, Vet Q 23 [2]:96-8:
4. Higgins A. J. (1997) Randomized Control Trials- The Problem of Clinical Trials in Veterinay Science,
in The Veterinary Journal, 154: 1-5;
 329

5. Kazacos K. R. (2002) Larva Migrans from Pets and Wildlife, Tuft Animal Expo:
6. Lefkaditis M., V.Cozma, D.M.Achelaritei, I.Vigh, A.D.Mihalca, (2004) Epidemiology of Digestive
Parasitism Pound Dogs from Transylvania (Romania), WSA VA Congress Proceedings

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