Abstract

Research Article

Intestinal Parasitic Infections in Schoolchildren and Their Pets in a Municipality from Havana, Cuba: Implications of Zoonotic Risk

Eliannis Sanchez Vazquez, Raul Cordovi Prado, Irais Atencio Millan, Fidel Angel Nunez, Fernandez, Annia Fong Gonzalez and Luis Enrique Jerez Puebla*

Published: 07 July, 2026 | Volume 9 - Issue 1 | Pages: 40-44

While canine pets offer significant psychological and physical benefits to their owners, especially children, there are well-documented health risks associated with pathogens that can be transmitted to humans.
To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites, with an emphasis on zoonotic ones, in children and their dogs, and to identify risk factors associated with infection, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in children from primary schools in the Cerro municipality, province of Havana. 
One hundred and three children (36 with dogs and 67 without pets) from fifth and sixth grades were selected. Three stool samples were collected on alternate days, and one stool sample was collected from their pets using conventional coproparasitological techniques between September and December 2023. 
The results showed a prevalence of 38.8% of intestinal parasites in the children studied. Blastocystis spp. (30.1%) and Giardia duodenalis (17.5%) were the most prevalent zoonotic species. Ancylostoma caninum (8.3%) was the most frequent zoonotic parasite in dogs. Male sex was the only variable that showed statistical significance, associated with a higher risk of infection. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of intestinal parasites in the group of children with dogs compared to those without pets, and no statistical association in the analyzed epidemiological variables
It is important to develop a One Health approach for the control of these zoonoses, as dogs can act as important sentinels of public health.

Read Full Article HTML DOI: 10.29328/journal.ijcmbt.1001039 Cite this Article Read Full Article PDF

Keywords:

Intestinal parasites; Children; Dogs; Zoonotic infections

References

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