Parasitic diseases in cats in Belgrade area with special emphasis on zoonoses

Abstract

Parasitoses in cats are one of the most common diseases of this species. Parasites violate homeostasis of organism by their specific pathogenic mechanisms, mechanicaly, by making their hosts hypersensitive... Some cat parasitoses have zoonotic character, too, provoking serious diseases of people. In Belgrade area there are different ectoparasites and endoparasites, which representation is directly linked with cat’s way of life, and also with preventive actions that are taken by their owners on that issue. It has revealed the presence of giardiasis, coccidiosis, toxocariosis, ancylostomatidosis, pulicosis, cheyletielosis and Otodectes mange. Prevalence is significantly higher when cats are kept in groups and if they are free to go outside, unlike specimens hеld in controled and indoor conditions. However, by adequate preventive measures, it is possible to make a balance between good health state and animal welfare, even in large populations.

Parazitske bolesti mačaka svrstavaju se u red najčešćih oboljenja kod ove vrste životinja. Paraziti narušavaju homeostazu organizma na više načina: direktnim specifičnim patogenim delovanjem, mehaničkim smetnjama, izazivanjem stanja preosetljivosti... Neke parazitoze mačaka imaju i zoonozni karakter, izazivajući ozbiljna oboljenja ljudi. Na području Beograda prisutni su različiti ektoparaziti i endoparaziti, čija je zastupljenost u direktnoj vezi sa načinom života mačaka, kao i preventivnim merama koje po tom pitanju preduzimaju njihovi vlasnici. Utvrđeno je prisustvo đardijaze, kokcidioze, toksokaroze, ankilostomatidoze, pulicidoze, heilecijeloze i Otodectes šuge. Prevalenca je značajno veća u uslovima grupnog držanja mačaka i pri slobodnom držanju, za razliku od jedinki držanih u kontrolisanim i zatvorenim uslovima. Međutim, adekvatnom preventivom moguće je napraviti balans između dobrog zdravstvenog stanja i dobrobiti jedinke, čak i u većim populacijama.