%0 Journal Article
%T Enteric protozoa of dogs: prevalence, associated risk factors and owners¡¯ awareness in and around Hawassa town, Ethiopia
%A Berhanu Mekibib
%A Desie Sheferaw
%J -
%D 2018
%X Dogs are reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens and pose a significant health risk to humans in most parts of the world. A cross sectional study design was used to estimate the prevalence of enteric protozoal parasites in dogs, to assess the associated risk factors and the level of owners¡¯ awareness about zoonotic implications of enteric protozoa parasites in selected subcities of Hawassa town from October 2015 to June 2016. A total of 340 faecal samples were collected and examined for enteric protozoa using flotation techniques. Of these, 171 (50.3%) dogs were infected with one or more genera of enteric protozoa parasites. The parasites identified were Sarcocyst (28.5%), Isospora (20.6%), Cryptosporidium (8.5%), Neospora (8.2%) and Giardia (5.6%). About 34.5% of the examined dogs were infected with two to four enteric protozoa parasites. The overall prevalence of enteric protozoa parasites was significantly higher in younger dogs (¦Ö2= 20.21, p< 0.05), semi-confined (¦Ö2= 5.63, p< 0.05) and stray dogs (¦Ö2= 23.01, p< 0.05). The prevalence of Sarcocyst (¦Ö2= 14.45, p< 0.05), Isospora (¦Ö2= 4.38, p< 0.05) and Neospora (¦Ö2= 4.31, p< 0.05) was significantly higher in stray dogs as compared to owned dogs. Most of respondents and dog owners¡¯ (76.5%), had no awareness on zoonotic enteric protozoa parasites of dogs. But 32.8% and 23.2% the respondents¡¯ children hug and play with dogs, respectively. Most of them (71.7%) feed their dogs with uncooked butcher leftover and/or offals. About 66.2% of them dispose of dogs¡¯ feces with garbage. Therefore, extension works for public education to improve public awareness on parasitic zoonoses, is very helpful to reduce the problem to the possible minimum level. Moreover, a close collaboration between veterinarians and public health professionals is highly helpful.
%K Dogs
%K Enteric protozoa
%K Ethiopia
%K Hawassa
%K Risk factors
%K Zoonotic
%U https://www.ajol.info/index.php/evj/article/view/177376