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INTRODUCTION: A better understanding of the epidemiology of helminths in animal hosts is important in order to ensure animal welfare, public health and food safety. The aim of this study was to explore parasitism in common animals in Bangladesh. Perception and understanding of animal owners regarding parasitic diseases management were also assessed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 550 fecal samples were examined from common animals (cattle, goat, pig, chicken, dog, and cat) across three different areas of Bangladesh (Dhaka, Sylhet, and Chattogram) from January 2020 to March 2021. Associated risk factors were assessed through questionnaire surveys among 50 animal owners. Parasitological assessment was done using the combined sedimentation-flotation method, and factors associated with infection were modeled using mixed-effects logistic regression. RESULTS: Helminths including Toxocara sp., Spirometra sp., Capillaria sp., Trichuris sp., opisthorchiid, Ascaris suum, Fasciola sp., Paramphistomum sp., strongyles, hookworms, roundworms, taeniid, and acanthocephalans were detected in the examined animals, and overall prevalence was 59.3% (95% CI = 54.1-62.8). Parasites were found in 61.3% (245/400) of food animals and 54.0% (81/150) of companion animals. Animal owners have a good understanding of parasite infections; however, that knowledge was not being translated into practice. Logistic regression analysis showed that frequency of deworming, animal husbandry practice, contact with untreated animals, and treatment-seeking behaviors were significantly associated with parasitic infection. CONCLUSION: Several types of zoonotic parasites are widely prevalent in animals of Bangladesh and pose a potential risk to human health. This study highlights the need to diagnose animal parasitic infection and intensified case management to avoid spillovers to animals and humans.
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INTRODUCTION: The objectives of this study were to evaluate a modified method for isolating geohelminth eggs and to assess the geohelminth contamination in Bangladesh. METHODS: The efficacy of the modified method was evaluated using naturally contaminated and experimentally seeded soil samples. In total, 240 samples were assessed from four different sites in three geographic contexts. A questionnaire survey with 50 professionals was conducted. RESULTS: The modified method showed considerable efficacy in isolating parasitic eggs from naturally contaminated soil (54.0%) and experimentally seeded soils (63.0% for Toxocara eggs and 52.0% for Ascaris eggs). The modified method was described as convenient by the majority of participants. Overall prevalence was 52.5%, with several species of helminth observed, including Toxocara sp., Ascaridia galli/Heterakis gallinarum, Ascaris sp., hookworms/strongyles, Capillaria sp., Trichuris sp., and taeniids). The contamination rate was found to be higher around livestock farms (76.7%), followed by latrines (63.3%), households (41.6%), and schools (28.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The modified method was shown to be feasible in terms of field applicability and egg recovery rate, and could be adopted in low-resource settings. A substantial prevalence of geohelminths was observed, with some of the species associated with zoonoses. These findings highlight the urgent need for widespread mapping of geohelminths to avoid spillovers to animals and humans.