Year: 2026 | Month: June | Volume 16 | Issue 3
Cross Sectional Study on Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections in Cats of Coastal Region of Andhra Pradesh, India
Ganipisetty Revathi
Sirigireddy Sivajothi
P.M. Kondaiah
K. Satheesh and Bhavanam Sudhakara Reddy
DOI:10.30954/2277-940X.03.2026.1
Abstract:
The present research was carried out in various urban and rural areas across all 12 coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh from March 2025 to February 2026. Gastrointestinal parasites were identified through detailed microscopic examination of faecal samples. Out of 560 cat faecal samples examined, 316 cats were found positive for one or more gastrointestinal parasites, resulting in an overall prevalence of 56.42%. Out of which, trematode were 1.96%, cestodes were 16.80%, nematodes were 22.32% and protozoan parasites were 15.35% (χ² = 103.37; df = 3; p < 0.001). 64 cats were found to harbour mixed parasitic infections, representing an overall prevalence of 11.42%. The spatial variation in parasitic infections between districts; between rural and urban areas. Rural areas had a higher prevalence (61.07%) than urban areas (51.78%), indicating greater exposure of rural cats to infective stages of parasites. Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites were 47.50% in Srikakulam, 42.50% in Vizianagaram, 62.50% in Visakhapatnam, 42.50% in Anakapalli, 60.00% in Kakinada, 55.00 % in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, 57.50% in West Godavari, 60.83% in Krishna, 45.00% in Bapatla, 50.00% in Prakasam, 75.00% in Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore and 70.00% in Tirupati of Andhra Pradesh. Overall prevalence was highest in adult cats aged 1–6 years (72.12%), cats up to 1 year (65.17%), 7–10 years (24.27%) and above 10 years old age (22.64%)(χ² = 106.52; df = 3; p < 0.001). Overall prevalence rates of 59.17% in males and 52.86% in females. It was 79.44% in Indian shorthair cats, 51.67% in mixed-breed cats and 50.00% in Persian cats. Shorthair cats had 55.11% and longhair cats had 57.98%. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was markedly higher in pregnant cats (75.76%) than in non-pregnant cats (49.29%). Prevalence was 37.62% in indoor cats, 62.46% in indoor-outdoor cats and 84.93% in outdoor/free-ranging cats. Highest prevalence recorded during the post-monsoon (66.07%) followed by monsoon (64.28%), summer (27.52%) and winter (59.13%).
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