Toxocara canis infects essentially all wild and domestic canids; patent infections are more prevalent among puppies than older dogs. T. cati is found in wild and domestic felids of all ages, but patent infections are slightly more common in kittens.
What is another name for Toxocara canis?
Toxocara canis (also known as dog roundworm) is a worldwide-distributed helminth parasite of dogs and other canids. The name is derived from the Greek word "toxon," meaning bow or quiver, and the Latin word "caro," meaning flesh. They live in the small intestine of the definitive host.
What parasite is Toxocara cati?
Toxocara cati is a parasitic roundworm (ascarid) infecting cats, with multiple routes of infection. Although many similarities exist between dog and cat roundworms caused by Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati respectively, these parasites have a different biology.
What does Toxocara cati look like?
Adult worms are localised in the gut of the host. In adult cats, the infection – which is called toxocariasis – is usually asymptomatic. However, massive infection in juvenile cats can be fatal. Feline roundworms are brownish-yellow to cream-colored to pink and may be up to 10 cm in length.
What causes Toxocara cati?
Toxocariasis is an infection caused by the ingestion of larvae of the dog roundworm Toxocara canis or the cat roundworm Toxocara cati. The soil of parks and playgrounds is commonly contaminated with the eggs of T canis, and infection may cause human disease that involves the liver, heart, lung, muscle, eye, and brain.
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