Helminths in dogs belonging to people in a resource-limited urban community in Gauteng, South Africa

Abstract

One hundred and sixty-four faecal samples, 148 adhesive tape swabs and 132 blood samples were collected from dogs in Boksburg, Gauteng, to assess the prevalence of helminth parasites in the area. Sixty-nine of these dogs were also necropsied and helminths recovered from the gastro-intestinal tracts. Ancylostoma caninum was the most common helminth and was present in 88% of the dogs, followed by Dipylidium caninum in 39% of dogs, Toxocara canis in 36%, Ancylostoma braziliense in 20%, Spirocerca lupi in 14%, Toxascaris leonina in 9%, Trichuris vulpis in 6%, Joyeuxiella pascualei in 6% and Taenia spp. in 4%. Microfilariae of Dipetalonema reconditum were found in 2% of the blood samples. The results of this study extend the geographic distribution of T. vulpis. With the exception of Spirocerca and Dipetalonema, all these helminths are potentially zoonotic, and may pose a threat to community health.