Toxocara Species of Carnivores

Name

Greek: toxon = arch, bow; kara = head. Latin: canis = dog.

Geographic Distribution/Epidemiology

Worldwide, high prevalence rates occur especially in breeds of cats and dogs. Young dogs showed infection rates of up to 80 %, young foxes up to 70 %, while 10 % of older dogs (in towns) were important as permanent egg distributors close to playgrounds. Cats in households and in breeding institutions showed prevalence rates of 40–70 % and thus are also important contaminators of playgrounds in towns or in private gardens.

Morphology/Life Cycles

The carnivores inside houses or those close to houses such as dogs, cats, foxes, and other carnivores are parasitized by several ascarid nematodes:

• (a) Toxocara canis: These worms are found in dogs and foxes, respectively, in wolves (♀ = 12 cm up to 18 cm; ♂ = 8 cm up to 10 cm long; Figs. 1, 2, and 3); their cervical wings (= alae) (Fig. 3) appear striated and reach a length of about 2.5–3 mm. Alae are not present in larvae.

  ...