| Title |
Ectoparasites of dogs and cats in Albania
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Parasitology Research, August 2009
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s00436-009-1591-x |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Dashamir Xhaxhiu, Ilir Kusi, Dhimiter Rapti, Martin Visser, Martin Knaus, Thomas Lindner, Steffen Rehbein |
| Abstract |
One hundred eighty-one dogs and 26 short-hair cats from suburban areas around Tirana, Albania were examined for ectoparasite infestation. The dogs were examined on several occasions from 2005 through 2009 representing three seasons: winter (December-February), spring (March-May), and summer (June-August); the cats were examined in late autumn (November). In addition, deep ear swab specimens of 30 dogs were examined for ear mites. The arthropod ectoparasite fauna of the dogs included two tick species (Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Ixodes ricinus), three mite species (Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis, Otodectes cynotis, and Demodex canis), three flea species (Ctenocephalides canis, Ctenocephalides felis, and Pulex irritans), and one louse species (Trichodectes canis). In the dogs, rates of infestation were 23.8% for R. sanguineus, 0.6% for I. ricinus, 4.4% for S. scabiei var. canis, 6.7% for O. cynotis, 0.6% for D. canis, 75.7% for C. canis, 5.0% for C. felis, 8.3% for P. irritans, and 6.6% for T. canis. Mixed infestation with two or three species of ectoparasites was recorded on 38.1% of the dogs. Fleas infested 75.7% dogs (geometric mean, 3.96; range, 1-80) and were observed in winter, spring, and summer with increasing prevalences of 64.3%, 75.9%, and 100%. Ticks parasitized 24.3% of the dogs (geometric mean, 0.41; range, 1-331). R. sanguineus ticks were recorded on 34.2% and 50% of the dogs examined in spring and summer, respectively, but were absent on the dogs during winter except for a single I. ricinus specimen observed. Prevalence of infestation with R. sanguineus, S. scabiei var. canis, C. felis, P. irritans, and T. canis did not differ between dogs < or = 6 months and dogs > 6 months of age; however, prevalence of infestation with C. canis was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in dogs > 6 months old. There was no difference between the sexes for the prevalences of infestation with those parasites. The examination of the cats revealed infestation with only one species of ectoparasite, C. felis (prevalence, 100%; geometric mean, 2.5; range, 1-9). |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 86 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Hungary | 1 | 1% |
| Chile | 1 | 1% |
| Costa Rica | 1 | 1% |
| United Kingdom | 1 | 1% |
| Argentina | 1 | 1% |
| Unknown | 81 | 94% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Researcher | 15 | 17% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 12 | 14% |
| Student > Master | 10 | 12% |
| Student > Bachelor | 9 | 10% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 6 | 7% |
| Other | 17 | 20% |
| Unknown | 17 | 20% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 22 | 26% |
| Veterinary Science and Veterinary Medicine | 19 | 22% |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 10 | 12% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 3 | 3% |
| Arts and Humanities | 2 | 2% |
| Other | 9 | 10% |
| Unknown | 21 | 24% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 3. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 30 May 2012.
All research outputs
#7,447,868
of 22,769,322 outputs
Outputs from Parasitology Research
#620
of 3,780 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#36,362
of 106,848 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Parasitology Research
#7
of 19 outputs
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