Survey on the Presence of Bacterial, Fungal and Helminthic Agents in Off-Leash Dog Parks Located in Urban Areas in Central-Italy
Off-leash dog parks are designated public spaces where dogs can move freely, under their owners’ supervision. These areas, allowing animals to socialize and move freely, are fundamental for dogs’ welfare. However, different pathogens, even zoonotic, may be excreted by the attending animals and conta...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/6/1685 |
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| author | Valentina Virginia Ebani Simona Nardoni Stefania Ciapetti Lisa Guardone Enrico Loretti Francesca Mancianti |
| author_facet | Valentina Virginia Ebani Simona Nardoni Stefania Ciapetti Lisa Guardone Enrico Loretti Francesca Mancianti |
| author_sort | Valentina Virginia Ebani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Off-leash dog parks are designated public spaces where dogs can move freely, under their owners’ supervision. These areas, allowing animals to socialize and move freely, are fundamental for dogs’ welfare. However, different pathogens, even zoonotic, may be excreted by the attending animals and contaminate the environment. The aim of the present study was to verify the occurrence of bacterial, fungal and parasitic pathogens in off-leash dog parks located in Florence (central Italy). Between March and May 2019, 83 fecal samples, 43 soil samples and 23 water samples (from fountains and puddles) collected from 26 off-leash fenced areas were examined. Fecal samples scored positive for <i>Yersinia</i> spp. (<i>n</i> = 7), <i>Listeria innocua</i> (<i>n</i> = 4), <i>Toxocara</i> <i>canis</i> eggs (<i>n</i> = 2) and <i>Ancylostoma caninum/Uncinaria stenocephala</i> eggs (<i>n</i> = 1). Keratinophilic geophilic fungi (mostly <i>Microsporum gypseum /A. incurvatum</i>) were recovered from 43 soil samples belonging to 23 out of 26 parks, along with <i>Microsporum canis</i> in a single case. <i>Prototheca</i> spp. was never isolated from water samples, while <i>Trichosporon</i> sp. was cultured in two cases, alone and in association with <i>Geotrichum candidum</i>. These results show that dogs did not act as important carriers for the investigated bacterial and parasitic pathogens, although examined areas may represent a risk for the spreading of some dermatophytoses to both pets and their owners. Periodical examinations to assess the main bacteriological, parasitological and mycological pathogens in different samples collected in off-leash dog parks should be carried out in a One-Health perspective. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:41:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7b719a2673e8437cb842fdb23a524f00 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:41:05Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-7b719a2673e8437cb842fdb23a524f002023-11-21T22:56:47ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-06-01116168510.3390/ani11061685Survey on the Presence of Bacterial, Fungal and Helminthic Agents in Off-Leash Dog Parks Located in Urban Areas in Central-ItalyValentina Virginia Ebani0Simona Nardoni1Stefania Ciapetti2Lisa Guardone3Enrico Loretti4Francesca Mancianti5Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, ItalyDepartment of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, ItalyDepartment of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, ItalyDepartment of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, ItalyUFC Igiene Urbana, USL Toscana Centro, Viale Corsica 4, 50127 Firenze, ItalyDepartment of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, ItalyOff-leash dog parks are designated public spaces where dogs can move freely, under their owners’ supervision. These areas, allowing animals to socialize and move freely, are fundamental for dogs’ welfare. However, different pathogens, even zoonotic, may be excreted by the attending animals and contaminate the environment. The aim of the present study was to verify the occurrence of bacterial, fungal and parasitic pathogens in off-leash dog parks located in Florence (central Italy). Between March and May 2019, 83 fecal samples, 43 soil samples and 23 water samples (from fountains and puddles) collected from 26 off-leash fenced areas were examined. Fecal samples scored positive for <i>Yersinia</i> spp. (<i>n</i> = 7), <i>Listeria innocua</i> (<i>n</i> = 4), <i>Toxocara</i> <i>canis</i> eggs (<i>n</i> = 2) and <i>Ancylostoma caninum/Uncinaria stenocephala</i> eggs (<i>n</i> = 1). Keratinophilic geophilic fungi (mostly <i>Microsporum gypseum /A. incurvatum</i>) were recovered from 43 soil samples belonging to 23 out of 26 parks, along with <i>Microsporum canis</i> in a single case. <i>Prototheca</i> spp. was never isolated from water samples, while <i>Trichosporon</i> sp. was cultured in two cases, alone and in association with <i>Geotrichum candidum</i>. These results show that dogs did not act as important carriers for the investigated bacterial and parasitic pathogens, although examined areas may represent a risk for the spreading of some dermatophytoses to both pets and their owners. Periodical examinations to assess the main bacteriological, parasitological and mycological pathogens in different samples collected in off-leash dog parks should be carried out in a One-Health perspective.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/6/1685dogsoff-leash parksfecesbacteriafungiparasites |
| spellingShingle | Valentina Virginia Ebani Simona Nardoni Stefania Ciapetti Lisa Guardone Enrico Loretti Francesca Mancianti Survey on the Presence of Bacterial, Fungal and Helminthic Agents in Off-Leash Dog Parks Located in Urban Areas in Central-Italy Animals dogs off-leash parks feces bacteria fungi parasites |
| title | Survey on the Presence of Bacterial, Fungal and Helminthic Agents in Off-Leash Dog Parks Located in Urban Areas in Central-Italy |
| title_full | Survey on the Presence of Bacterial, Fungal and Helminthic Agents in Off-Leash Dog Parks Located in Urban Areas in Central-Italy |
| title_fullStr | Survey on the Presence of Bacterial, Fungal and Helminthic Agents in Off-Leash Dog Parks Located in Urban Areas in Central-Italy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Survey on the Presence of Bacterial, Fungal and Helminthic Agents in Off-Leash Dog Parks Located in Urban Areas in Central-Italy |
| title_short | Survey on the Presence of Bacterial, Fungal and Helminthic Agents in Off-Leash Dog Parks Located in Urban Areas in Central-Italy |
| title_sort | survey on the presence of bacterial fungal and helminthic agents in off leash dog parks located in urban areas in central italy |
| topic | dogs off-leash parks feces bacteria fungi parasites |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/6/1685 |
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