Evaluation of the contamination by Toxocara spp. eggs in hair of dogs from low-income areas of Presidente Prudente, São Paulo

• Grant number: 24/02836-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2024
• End date: April 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Vamilton Alvares Santarém
• Grantee: Amanda Lopes Navarro
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias. Universidade do Oeste Paulista (UNOESTE). Campus de Presidente Prudente. Presidente Prudente , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Toxocara spp. is an intestinal nematode of dogs and cats that can cause human toxocariasis, a worldwide zoonosis. Toxocariasis is most commonly asymptomatic, however it may cause visceral, ocular, and neurological forms. Humans can become infected primarily through the ingestion of embryonated eggs present in the soil, previously contaminated by the feces of dogs/cats. However, the presence of Toxocara spp. eggs in the fur of dogs has drawn the attention of researchers as a potential transmission route for toxocariasis to humans. Brazil has a high dog population, which, coupled with social vulnerability issues, poses significant possibilities of infection with Toxocara canis. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess the contamination rates of dog hair in low-income areas of Presidente Prudente, São Paulo. Samples of fur will be collected from 100 dogs, without restriction of sex, breed, or age, attended to in the extension project "Neutering is the solution" at the University of Western São Paulo. Fur samples will be collected from the perineal, dorsal, and tail regions of the dogs. After collection, the samples will be stored in Falcon tubes (50 mL) and filtered through mesh sieves of different sizes (300, 212, and 38 µm) to recover Toxocara spp. eggs that may be adhered to the fur. The material retained in the 38 µm sieve will be centrifuged and analyzed under optical microscopy (magnifications: 10 and 40x). The chi-square or Fisher's exact test will be used to assess the association between the presence of Toxocara spp. eggs and age, sex, hair length, access to the street, and deworming, considering p-values less than 0.05 as significant.