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 . Treatment is challenging for the vector-borne infections owing to the potential for

(Dirofilaria immitis), (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, may infect dogs in this region. S. lupi is highly challenging to

South Asia and roundworms, eyeworm ( 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