Re-evaluation of the species of hookworms infecting dogs in Central Vietnam

Abstract

Background: Differentiation of canine hookworm species is crucial from both a veterinary and public health standpoint. In Vietnam, three hookworm species, namely Ancylostoma caninum, Ancylostoma braziliense and Uncinaria stenocephala are reported to infect dogs. In light of the emerging distribution of A. ceylanicum in Asia, this study aims to re-evaluate the status of Ancylostoma in dogs in Vietnam. Methods: Faecal samples collected from 200 community dogs in Dak Lak province were subjected to faecal floatation for the detection of hookworm eggs. Hookworm-positive samples were subjected to a PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay targeting the internal transcribed spa..