PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH LINGUATULA SERRATA INFECTION IN DOGS IN ZARIA AND ENVIRONS, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH LINGUATULA SERRATA INFECTION IN DOGS IN ZARIA AND ENVIRONS, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract:

Linguatula serrata is a zoonotic parasite causing visceral and nasopharyngeal linguatulosis in human beings. Dogs are important source of infection for man. This study determined the prevalence of L. serrata in dogs in Zaria and environs. Three hundred and ninety nine (399) samples each of faecal and nasal swabs and 360 heads were collected from household and slaughtered dogs respectively and evaluated for the presence of L. serrata. Zinc sulphate floatation technique at 1.18 specific gravity and direct smear were used for detection of eggs in faecal and nasal secretions respectively, while heads of slaughtered dogs were split longitudinally and visually inspected for the presence of the parasite in nasal cavities. Linguatula serrata eggs were found only in 10 (2.5%) of the 399 nasal secretions from household dogs. There was no statistical association between the sex, age, breed and purpose for which dogs were kept and infection with L. serrata (P > 0.05). There was also no statistically significant association between occurrence of L. serrata and feeding of raw meat (OR 0.966, 95% CI 0.141-1.824), scavenging (OR 0.968, 95% CI 0.948-0.988) and restriction of dog (OR 0.966, 95% CI 0.948-0.988). There was a statistically significant association between infection and raising dogs with other animals (P= 0.035) and dogs sampled based on ward (P= 0.001). Majority of the dog-owning households (55.2%) are families with the respondents having at least secondary school education in 68.7% of the households. Most respondents (45.7%) own only one dog, and 56.1% never utilized veterinary services. Frequent sneezing and unusual material from the nostrils were reported by 31.3% and 3.1% of respondents respectively. Other parasites eggs found in faeces of household dogs include Taenia spp (14.7%), Isospora spp (6.0%), Ancylostoma spp (5.0%) and Spirocerca spp (4.3%). Although no adult form of L. serrata vii was observed from slaughtered dogs and also no egg was detected in faecal sample examined, the results from this study indicates dogs that are infected with L. serrata in Zaria and environs albeit at low levels of carriage, therefore there is possibility of human infection with L. serrata in the area which is of public health importance.

PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH LINGUATULA SERRATA INFECTION IN DOGS IN ZARIA AND ENVIRONS, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA