Intestinal Parasites in Dogs and Humans, Environmental Egg Contamination and Risk of Human Infection with Zoonotic Helminth Parasites from Dog in Hosanna Town

Pets especially dogs are the most common and first domesticated companion animals throughout the world including Ethiopia. In developing countries the health status of the pets are neglected. However, potential hazards are associated with pet ownership; thus, the objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of important zoonotic gastrointestinal helminthes infection in dogs and their owners as well as risk of environmental egg contamination and major associated factors in Hosanna, Ethiopia. Cross sectional study designs were employed (feces & stool sample from dogs and dog owners, soil samples and questionnaires data were collected) & statistical analysis were done using SPSS version 16 software. Based on coproscopy examination results; the overall prevalence of helminth infection in dogs were 71.6% (n=187/261). Species of parasites identified were: Ancylostoma caninum (49%) followed by Toxocara canis (34%), Toxocara leonine (7.2%), Taenia species (4.2%), Strongyloides stercoralis (2.6%) and Trichuris vulpis (1.9%). Prevalence of intestinal helminth among human were found 17.62% (95% CI: 13.20-22.79). Hookworm species (6.5%) followed by Ascaris (4.6%), H. nana (2.7%), S. stercoralis (1.5%), Taenia species (1.5%) and H. diminatus (0.8%) were identified in humans. The environmental egg contamination status were observed in five sites with helminthes egg. Trichuris, T. canis, Ancylostoma, A. lumbricoides, S. stercoralis and Taenia species eggs were the identified ones. The major risk factors for the spread and zoonotic transmissions of parasites were lack of treatment for dog (prevalence: 81.2%, P value: 0.000 and OR (95%CI), 6 (7.1-35)) and poor awareness on transmissible helminth intestinal parasites of dog (prevalence: 76.5% P value: 0.002 and OR (95%CI):2.5 (1.36-4.4)). In conclusion, this study revealed that the overall prevalence of intestinal helminthes were abundant among dogs, humans and soil sample. Therefore, de-worming of dog, community awareness creation, one-health approached surveillance strategies and further researches should be conducted.