Prevalence and molecular characterization of Toxocara canis in domestic dogs in Ekiti State
Main Article Content
Abstract
Dogs offer good sentinel surveillance for human disease infections, such as Toxocara canis infection. The involvement of domestic dogs as hosts of T. canis had been observed, subsequently resulting in higher health concerns due to the closeness between domestic dogs and their owners. This study assessed the prevalence of T. canis and its molecular identification in domestic dogs in Ado Ekiti, Local Government Areas (LGA) Ekiti State. Fifty (50) fecal samples were randomly taken from domestic dogs and were examined using Sheather’s sugar flotation technique. Samples that were positive were pooled together for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing. Overall, a T. canis prevalence of 46.0% was detected, which was further validated by utilising Nem18S to amplify an internal portion of the 18S gene. This is the first study that adopted the use of molecular technique to characterize T. canis in domestic dogs in Ekiti State. This study underscores the role of domestic dogs in environmental contamination and the need for domestic dog owners to maintain good hygiene. There is a need to use a One Health approach in establishing successful control programmes for T. canis and other dog-borne infections in the state.
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Omonijo, A. O., Omonijo, A., Adekale, R., Omolayo, A., Bello, A., Adesunloro, O., Otakoya, Z., Ajiferuke, B., Akinola, M., Adeola, M., Oyedeji, V., & Gombedza, S. (2026). Prevalence and molecular characterization of Toxocara canis in domestic dogs in Ekiti State. The Bioscientist Journal, 14(2), 103-112. https://doi.org/10.54117/the_bioscientist.v14i2.220
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References
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Varun, V.K., Maurya, P.S., John, J.K., Jithin, M.V., Singh, A.K., Chandra, N. and Sarkar, T.K. (2021). Diagnosis and treatment of Toxocara canis infection in a dog-A case report. Indian Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 41(2): 66-68.
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Xu, J. and Han, Q. (2024). Prevalence, Infection, and Risk to Human Beings of Toxocara canis in Domestic Food- Producing Animals. Veterinary Sciences, 11(2): 83 https://doi.org/ 10.3390/vetsci11020083
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Dias-Correia, T.P., Neves, L.B.D., Bittencourt-Oliveira, F., Giglio, G.C.B., Pereira, T.C., Almeida, F.B.D. and Rodrigues-Silva, R. (2023). Diversity of helminths with zoonotic potential and molecular characterization of Toxocara canis infecting domestic dogs from locations of Amazon and Atlantic Forest Brazilian biomes. Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária, 32(4): e012723
Duncan, K.T., Koons, N.R., Litherland, M.A., Little, S.E., Nagamori. Y. (2020). Prevalence of intestinal parasites in fecal samples and estimation of parasite contamination from dog parks in central Oklahoma, Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports, 19 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vprsr.2019. 100362.
Hon, L.S.G., Calvani, N.E.D., Ma, G., Ward, M.P. and Šlapeta, J. (2022). Low exposure of urban dogs in metropolitan Sydney, Australia to Toxocara canis demonstrated by ELISA using T. canis excretory- secretory (E/S) larval antigens. Veterinary Parasitology, 302: 109663 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2022. 109663
Jacobs, D.E., Zhu, X., Gasser, R.B. and Chilton, N.B. (1997). PCR-based methods for identification of potentially zoonotic ascaridoid parasites of the dog, fox and cat. Acta tropica, 68(2): 191-200 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0001- 706X(97)00093-4
Kroeger, A., Kjemtrup, A., Shoop, W. (2019). Zoonotic diseases and domestic dogs in Africa: A review. African Journal of Public Health, 23: 45-52.
Laatamna, A., Baroudi, D., Samari, H., Ziane, H., Alim, O., Telibi, M. and Taoussi, D. (2021). First report on occurrence of zoonotic helminth Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina and Ancylostoma caninum in domestic dogs from province of Djelfa, Algeria. Annals of Parasitology, 67(1): 111-116 https://doi.org/10.17420/ap6701.318
Li, M.W., Lin, R.Q., Song, H.Q., Wu, X.Y. and Zhu, X.Q. (2008). The complete mitochondrial genomes for three Toxocara species of human and animal health significance. BMC genomics, 9: 1-10.
Mendonça, T.O., Perin, P.P., Zanini, D.D.S., de Souza, H.L., Pires, P.H.K., Muniz, I.M., Tebaldi, J.H., Mathias, L.A., Bürger, K.P. and Lux-Hoppe, E.G. (2024). Parasitosis in pet dogs from Rondônia, Amazon Biome, and human perception of zoonoses. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(2): 138-153. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph210201 38
Mubarak, A.G., Mohammed, E.S., Elaadli, H., Alzaylaee, H., Hamad, R.S., Elkholy, W.A. and Youseef, A.G. (2023). Prevalence and risk factors associated with Toxocara canis in dogs and humans in Egypt: A comparative approach. Veterinary Medicine and Science, 9(6): 2475- 2484 https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.1228
Ng-Nguyen, D. and Nguyen, V.A.T. (2024). A cross-sectional study to quantify the prevalence of Toxocara canis in dogs in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Parasitology Research, 123(2): 133 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-024- 08157-6
Omonijo, A.O. and Mukaratirwa, S. (2023). Knowledge and practices on consumption of free-range chickens in selected rural communities of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, with focus on zoonotic transmission of Toxoplasma gondii and Toxocara spp. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 55 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-022- 03393-3
Omonijo A.O., Omonijo A., Ojo O.M., Oluwadare O.V., Adesunmibola C.K., Adedoyin R. Thontteh A.R., Aluko D.D., Adekunle N.A. (2024). Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Stray Dogs in Ado-Ekiti and Ido–Osi Local Government Areas, Ekiti State, Nigeria. Pan African Journal of Life Sciences: 8(3): 231– 236. https:// doi.org/10.36108/pajols/4202/80.032 0
Phoosangwalthong, P., Luong, N.H., Wongwigkan, J., Kamyingkird, K., Phasuk, J., Pattanatanang, K., Thammasonthijarern, N., Kengradomkij, C., Chimnoi, W., Odermatt, P. and Inpankaew, T. (2022). Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati in stray dogs and cats in Bangkok, Thailand: Molecular prevalence and risk factors. Parasitologia, 2(2): 88-94 https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia 2020009
Savioli, L., Albonico, M., Engels, D. (2018). Preventing and controlling zoonotic diseases through domestic animal health management in Africa. Journal of Tropical Medicine 3; 110 https://doi. .org/ 10.3390/tropicalmed3040110
Schwartz, R., Bidaisee, S., Fields, P.J., Macpherson, M.L. and Macpherson, C.N. (2022). The epidemiology and control of Toxocara canis in puppies. Parasite Epidemiology and Control, 16: e00232 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parepi.2021. e00232.
Souza, J.B.B., Silva, Z.M.D.A., Alves- Ribeiro, B.S., Moraes, I.D.S., Alves- Sobrinho, A.V., Saturnino, K.C., Ferraz, H.T., Machado, M.R.F., Braga, Í.A. and Ramos, D.G.D.S. (2023). Prevalence of intestinal parasites, risk factors and zoonotic aspects in dog and cat populations from Goiás, Brazil. Veterinary Sciences, 10(8), 492-505 https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci100804 92
Temitope, A., Solagbade, O. and Babajide, A. (2021). Land Use/Land Cover Changes of Ado-Ekiti LGA, Ekiti State, Nigeria Using Remote Sensing Techniques. Journal of Geography, Environment and Earth Science International, 25(8): 32-42. https://doi.org/10.9734/JGEESI/2021 /v25i830302
Thrusfield M. V. M., Veterinary Epidemiology, vol. 233, Blackwell Science, Singapore, 3rd edition, 2007.
Varun, V.K., Maurya, P.S., John, J.K., Jithin, M.V., Singh, A.K., Chandra, N. and Sarkar, T.K. (2021). Diagnosis and treatment of Toxocara canis infection in a dog-A case report. Indian Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 41(2): 66-68.
World Health Organization (2013). One Health: Integrated control of neglected zoonotic diseases in Africa, Geneva: WHO Press. (2013).
Xu, J. and Han, Q. (2024). Prevalence, Infection, and Risk to Human Beings of Toxocara canis in Domestic Food- Producing Animals. Veterinary Sciences, 11(2): 83 https://doi.org/ 10.3390/vetsci11020083
Yen, N.T.H., Van Phuong, N., Hieu, D.D. and Anh, N.T.L. (2023). Identification of Three Toxocara species, T. canis in Dogs, and T. cati and T. malaysiensis in cats, in Vietnam by PCR-RFLP Analysis and DNA Sequencing. Vietnam Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 6(4): 1917- 1923 https://doi.org/10.31817/vjas.2 023.6.4.02