A rare occurrence of multiple zoonotic parasitosis in a Nigerian short-haired cat (Felis catus)

Abstract

Cats like other domestic animals may be infected with parasites that can be transmitted directly or indirectly to humans living in the same environment. This paper reports a case of a rare multiple zoonotic parasitosis in a dead male domestic cat (Felis catus) in Ibadan, South west Nigeria. Post mortem and histopathology showed presence of parasites and typical parasitic lesions. While microscopy demonstrated the presence of Toxocara sp., Ancylostoma sp., Taenia sp. eggs and protozoan oocysts, the presence of Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium oocysts were further confirmed using nested PCR amplification and sequencing of the SAG and 18SrRNA genes respectively. The detection of multiple zoonotic parasites in the domestic cat post in situ suggests the need for caution in handling stray cats.