1 Table 1. The most significant parasites of dogs and cats in the tropics
Tropical regions Significant parasites Why are these parasites challenging? a
Tropical America Ticks and tick-borne infections (e.g., Babesia These parasites are generally widespread, with endemic hotspots, mostly associated with low
vogeli), Leishmania infantum, Trypanosoma socioeconomic communities. They can result in clinically debilitating disease that can prove fatal for
cruzi, Toxoplasma gondii, heartworm animals. Treatment is challenging for the vector-borne infections owing to the potential for
(Dirofilaria immitis), hookworms (Ancylostoma recrudescence, high re-infection pressures and poor availability or affordability of efficacious
spp.), roundworms (Toxocara spp.), ectoparasiticides. Excluding B. vogeli, all these parasites are zoonotic, with dogs, cats, or both, acting
Echinococcus granulosus as reservoirs
Tropical Africa Ticks and tick-borne infections (e.g., Babesia Dogs are reservoirs of E. granulosus and trypanosomes for humans and livestock in Africa. Due to
rossi), L. infantum, Trypanosoma spp., T. limited access to veterinary care, mostly in rural and pastoral societies, dogs and cats are often plagued
gondii, heartworm, hookworms, roundworms, by massive parasitic arthropod infestations and vector-borne infections (including tick-borne bacteria,
E. granulosus such as Ehrlichia canis). B. rossi is highly virulent in exotic dog breeds imported into Africa
Tropical Asia (parts Ticks and tick-borne pathogens (e.g., B. vogeli, Ancylostoma ceylanicum infects between 6–25% of rural populations throughout Southeast Asia. In
of Southeast Asia, Babesia gibsoni), Dirofilaria spp., hookworms, addition to D. immitis, Dirofilaria repens may infect dogs in this region. S. lupi is highly challenging to
South Asia and roundworms, eyeworm (Thelazia callipaeda), diagnose and treat
Western Asia) Spirocerca lupi, E. granulosus
Tropical Australia Ticks and tick-borne infections (e.g., B. vogeli), Hookworms, roundworms and threadworm are zoonotic geohelminths, especially in rural, resource-
and the Pacific heartworm, hookworms, roundworms, poor Aboriginal and Pacific Islander communities
Islands threadworms (Strongyloides stercoralis) 2 a Information provided for Tropical America is also valid for other tropical regions where the same parasites occur. Some region-specific parasites are not listed,
3 considering that they are not as important as the ones mentioned from a regional-wide perspective. Nonetheless, they may be significant locally. Moreover, it is
4 worth mentioning that vector-borne parasites (e.g., B. vogeli and L. infantum) may be co-detected with various pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Ehrlichia canis), which may
5 result in more severe clinical signs and laboratory abnormalities (De Tommasi et al.,2013; Andrade et al., 2014).
Minerva Access is the Institutional Repository of The University of Melbourne
Author/s: Dantas-Torres, F; Ketzis, J; Mihalca, AD; Baneth, G; Otranto, D; Perez Tort, G; Watanabe, M; Bui, KL; Inpankaew, T; Jimenez Castro, PD; Borras, P; Arumugam, S; Penzhorn, BL; Patalinghug Ybanez, A; Irwin, P; Traub, RJ
Title: TroCCAP recommendations for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of parasitic infections in dogs and cats in the tropics
Date: 2020-07-01
Citation: Dantas-Torres, F., Ketzis, J., Mihalca, A. D., Baneth, G., Otranto, D., Perez Tort, G., Watanabe, M., Bui, K. L., Inpankaew, T., Jimenez Castro, P. D., Borras, P., Arumugam, S., Penzhorn, B. L., Patalinghug Ybanez, A., Irwin, P. & Traub, R. J. (2020). TroCCAP recommendations for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of parasitic infections in dogs and cats in the tropics. VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY, 283, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109167.
Persistent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11343/279337
File Description: Supplementary file