Table 1.
Prevalence and zoonotic potential of parasites identified by faecal microscopic examination and by Giardia duodenalis quick immunochromatographical coproantigen testing of samples from 139 stray colony cats in Milan, northern Italy
| Parasite | N (%) on total population | N (%) in cats with infection | Species | N (%) on total population | N (%) in cats with infection | Zoonotic potential |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intestinal nematodes | 60/139 (43.2%) | 60/70 (85.7%) | Toxocara cati | 46/139 (33.1%) | 46/70 (65.7%) | Visceral and ocular larva migrans; covert toxocariosis |
| Ancylostoma tubaeformae | 10/139 (7.2%) | 10/70 (14.3%) | Cutaneous larva migrans; eosinophilic enteritis | |||
| Trichuris vulpis | 4/139 (2.9%) | 4/70 (5.7%) | None | |||
| Pulmonary nematodes | 6/139 (4.3%) | 6/70 (8.6%) | Aelurostrongylus abstrusus | 4/139 (2.9%) | 4/70 (5.7%) | None |
| Eucoleus aerophilus (syn Capillaria aerophila) | 2/139 (1.4%) | 2/70 (2.9%) | Pulmonary capillariosis | |||
| Cestodes | 8/139 (5.8%) | 8/70 (11.4%) | Dipylidium caninum | 4/139 (2.9%) | 4/70 (5.7%) | Dipylidiosis |
| Spirometra species | 2/139 (1.4%) | 2/70 (2.8%) | Sparganosis | |||
| Taenia pisiformis | 1/139 (0.7%) | 1/70 (1.4%) | None | |||
| Hymenolepis nana | 1/139 (0.7%) | 1/70 (1.4%) | Teniasis | |||
| Protozoa | 10/139 (7.2%) | 10/70 (14.3%) | Isospora species | 6/139 (4.3%) | 6/70 (8.6%) | None |
| Giardia duodenalis | 4/139 (2.9%) | 4/70 (5.7%) | Giardiosis |