Survey of helminth parasites of cats from the metropolitan area of Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil

Abstract

Besides presenting zoonotic potential, helminths of cats are responsible for gastrointestinal, hepatic, and pulmonary diseases. In order to identify the helminthic fauna, prevalence, mean intensity of parasitism (MIP), and mean abundance population (MAP), 146 cats from the metropolitan area of Cuiabá, Midwestern Brazil, were necropsied. In 98 these animals, 12 species of helminths were identified, comprising (species, prevalence, MIP, and MAP, respectively): nematodes (Ancylostoma braziliense [50,68% - 53,64 - 27,18], Ancylostoma tubaeforme [10,27% - 3,6 - 0,37], Toxocara cati [4,11% - 28,33 - 1,16], Physaloptera praeputialis [2,05% - 6,67 - 0,14], Capillaria feliscati [3,42% - 7,4 - 0,25], and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus [1,37%]); cestodes (Spirometra mansonoides [4,11% - 2,0 - 0,08], Dipylidium caninum [3,42% - 5,2 - 0,18], and Taenia taeniformis [0,68% - 1,0 - 0,01]); trematodes (Platynosomum fastosum [26,03% - 179,53 - 46,73]); acanthocephalans (Centrorhynchus erraticus [3,42% - 3,2 - 0,11]). Ancylostoma spp., and P. fastosum were the most prevalent with the highest MIP and MAP. We observed the presence of species of helminths with zoonotic potential. This is the first time cats parasitized with Centrorhynchus erraticus are reported in the Americas. That genus is commonly observed in wild animals.