Hanyang Med Rev.  2010 Aug;30(3):246-264. 10.7599/hmr.2010.30.3.246.

Parasitic Diseases of Companion Animals

• Shin SS

• KMID: 1460260
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7599/hmr.2010.30.3.246

Abstract

Approximately 60% of U.S. and 22% of Korean households have at least one or more pet animals, and a considerably large percentage of which are considered family members. Although these companion animals can offer substantial physical and psychological benefits to humans, zoonotic diseases can be transmitted from them especially when animals are taken directly from the wild to serve as pets. Although zoonoses of traditional pets such as dogs and cats are relatively well recognized compared to those from wild animals by veterinary practitioners, their prevention and treatment are generally poorly understood by physicians. This review covers commonly recognized parasitic agents that can potentially cause illness to both human and animal household members in Korea. Ectoparasites such as fleas, ticks and sarcoptic mites can transmit vector-borne diseases and also directly cause illness, while endoparasites such as Toxocara spp., Ancylostoma spp., Dipylidum caninum. Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium parvum can cause zoonotic infections in humans. Toxoplasma gondii which is one of the most important zoonotic infections from cat is covered in depth at the end of this article since Koreans, especially young household members, have recently been increasingly recognizing pedigree cats as their family members.

Keyword

Companion animal parasites; Zoonosis

MeSH Terms

Ancylostoma
Animals
Animals, Wild
Cats
Cryptosporidium parvum
Dogs
Family Characteristics
Friends
Giardia
Humans
Korea
Mites
Parasitic Diseases
Pedigree
Pets
Siphonaptera
Ticks
Toxocara
Toxoplasma
Zoonoses

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Head of an adult Ctenocephalides canis isolated from a stray dog in Korea.

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  Fig. 2 An adult flea and flea feces on the surface of a dog skin.

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  Fig. 3 Adult male of Haemaphysalis longicornis collected from Korea.

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  Fig. 4 Numerous adult worms of Ancylostoma caninum collected from the intestine of a Jindo dog.

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  Fig. 5 Ancylostoma caninum eggs from dog feces.

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  Fig. 6 Female adult stage of Otodected cynotis from dog.

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  Fig. 7 Alopecia and ulcer on the pinna of a dog caused by self-mutilation due to extreme pruritus elicited by the infestation of Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis.

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  Fig. 8 Head of an adult Cheyletiella yasguri isolated from a dog.

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  Fig. 9 Various stages of Trichodected canis from a stray dog in Korea.

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  Fig. 10 An embryonated egg of Toxocara canis isolated from the feces of a dog.

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  Fig. 11 An unembryonated egg of Baylisascaris procyonis isolated from the feces of a bear in Korea.

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  Fig. 12 Egg packets of Dipylidium caninum.

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  Fig. 13 Numerous oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum from a calf with diarrhea.

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  Fig. 14 Tissue cyst of Toxoplasma gondii in the brain of a stray cat from Gwangju, Korea.

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