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Prevalence, diversity and risk factors of gastrointestinal parasites in dogs housed at official shelters across Portugal

2025Journal article Open access
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datacite.subject.fosCiências Agrárias::Ciências Veterinárias
datacite.subject.sdg03:Saúde de Qualidade
datacite.subject.sdg15:Proteger a Vida Terrestre
dc.contributor.authorLopes, Patrícia
dc.contributor.authorGomes, Jacinto
dc.contributor.authorLozano, João
dc.contributor.authorLouro, Mariana
dc.contributor.authorCarvalho, Luís Madeira de
dc.contributor.authorFonseca, Isabel Pereira da
dc.contributor.authorLobo, Ricardo
dc.contributor.authorMonteiro, Fernando
dc.contributor.authorCarvalho, Liliana
dc.contributor.authorAfonso, Paulo
dc.contributor.authorAlmas, Miguel
dc.contributor.authorCunha, Mónica V.
dc.date.accessioned2025-06-02T10:14:42Z
dc.date.available2025-06-02T10:14:42Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.description.abstractGastrointestinal parasites (GIP) are among the most common pathogens that affect dogs globally, with some species representing a zoonotic threat. Stray and shelter dogs are especially vulnerable to parasitism as their clinical history is often unknown, and copro-parasitological analyses are seldom performed upon animal arrival at shelters. In Portugal, official shelters play a pivotal role in sheltering and managing stray dogs; however, little is known about the GIP infection status of these animals. This study thus aimed to determine the occurrence of GIP in dogs housed at official shelters in Portugal and explore potential variables contributing to the GIP burden. Between November 2021 and October 2022, a total of 355 dog faecal samples were collected from shelters across the country. These samples were either obtained individually from dogs or pooled from groups of animals housed together, and were analysed using the Mini-FLOTAC technique with zinc sulphate flotation solution (specific gravity 1.35) to detect, identify, and quantify GIP shedding intensity. Over 16 % (57/355) of the samples were GIP-positive. The most frequently observed parasites were Trichuris vulpis (20/355), Toxocara canis (19/355), Ancylostoma spp. (13/355), and Cystoisospora canis (8/355). Co-infections with two parasitic agents were detected in three individual samples: two dogs harboured both T. vulpis and C. canis, while one dog was co- infected with T. vulpis and T. canis. Most positive samples (53/59) exhibited a moderate to high shedding intensity, with over 50 eggs or oocysts per gram of faeces – EPG or OPG, respectively. Only a few showed a low shedding intensity of less than 10 EPG or OPG. When examining individual faecal samples, the average prevalence rate of GIP in shelter dogs across sampled regions was 15.9 % (33/208). A single taeniid infection was detected and confirmed, via molecular assays, to be due to Echinococcus granulosus. The occurrence of Ancylos-toma spp. and T. vulpis were significantly correlated with the number of dogs housed in shelters. The presence of Ancylostoma spp. eggs was significantly associated with season and region, while consistency of faeces was significantly associated with the presence of T. canis eggs and GIP co-infection status. This study represents the first nationwide screening for GIP in shelter dogs in Portugal. Our findings underscore the importance of regular screening in shelters, namely upon animals' arrival, and the need for active, effective management of infections to control GIP spread within the shelter and to prevent possible occupational zoonotic transmission.eng
dc.description.sponsorshipStrategic Funding from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I. P (FCT) to cE3c and BioISI Research Units (DOI: 10.54499/UIDB/00 329/2020, UID/00329/2025; and DOI: 10.54499/UIDB/04046/2020, UID/04046/2025; respectively), CHANGE (LA/P/0121/2020), CIISA/ FMV (UIDB/00276/2020), and AL4AnimalS (LA/P/0059/2020), and individual fellowships from FCT to JL (2020.09037.BD; DOI:10. 54499/2020.09037.BD) and ML (UI/BD/152818/2022), are gratefully acknowledged. PL is the recipient of a Maria de Sousa Doctoral grant from FCT (DOI:10.54499/2021.09447.BD). MVC acknowledges support from FCT (DOI:10.54499/CEECINST/00032/2018/CP1523/CT0005).
dc.identifier.citationLopes, Patrícia; Gomes, Jacinto; Lozano, João; Louro, Mariana; Carvalho, Luís Madeira de; Fonseca, Isabel Pereira da; Lobo, Ricardo; Monteiro, Fernando; Carvalho, Liliana; Afonso, Paulo; Almas, Miguel; Cunha, Mónica V. (2025). Prevalence, diversity and risk factors of gastrointestinal parasites in dogs housed at official shelters across Portugal. Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports.ISSN 2405-9390.62, p. 1-12
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.vprsr.2025.101285
dc.identifier.issn2405-9390
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10198/34530
dc.language.isoeng
dc.peerreviewedyes
dc.publisherElsevier
dc.relationCentre of Biological Engineering of the University of Minho
dc.relationCentre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences
dc.relationMountain Research Center
dc.relationBiosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute
dc.relationCHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute
dc.relationCentre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health
dc.relation.ispartofVeterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectGastrointestinal parasites
dc.subjectZoonoses
dc.subjectCopro-parasitological analysis
dc.subjectShedding intensity
dc.subjectShelters
dc.subjectStray dog
dc.titlePrevalence, diversity and risk factors of gastrointestinal parasites in dogs housed at official shelters across Portugaleng
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.awardTitleCentre of Biological Engineering of the University of Minho
oaire.awardTitleCentre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences
oaire.awardTitleMountain Research Center
oaire.awardTitleBiosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute
oaire.awardTitleCHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute
oaire.awardTitleCentre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB%2F04469%2F2020/PT
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB%2F04033%2F2020/PT
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB%2F00690%2F2020/PT
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB%2F04046%2F2020/PT
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/LA%2FP%2F0121%2F2020/PT
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB%2F00276%2F2020/PT
oaire.citation.endPage12
oaire.citation.startPage1
oaire.citation.titleVeterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports
oaire.citation.volume62
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
oaire.versionhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
person.familyNameAfonso
person.givenNamePaulo
person.identifier.ciencia-idFE18-A3F5-6996
person.identifier.orcid0000-0001-6390-0194
project.funder.identifierhttp://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
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