Species identification of trichomonads and associated coinfections in dogs with diarrhea and suspected trichomonosis

Abstract

Trichomonads have been infrequently reported in the feces of dogs where their pathogenicity remains uncertain. It is currently unknown whether Tritrichomonas foetus or Pentatrichomonas hominis is identified more commonly in dogs with trichomonosis or how often these infections are accompanied by concurrent enteric infectious agents. The objective of this study was to determine the identity of trichomonads present in a series of 38 unsolicited canine diarrheic fecal samples submitted for T. foetus diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing between 2007 and 2010. We also examined each fecal sample for an association of trichomonosis with concurrent infection using a convenient real-time PCR panel for nine gastrointestinal pathogens. P. hominis, T. foetus, or both were identified by PCR in feces of 17, 1, and 1 dogs respectively. Feces from the remaining 19 dogs were PCR negative for T. foetus, P. hominis and using broader-spectrum Trichomonadida primers. The total number and specific identities of concurrent enteropathogens identified did not differ between fecal samples from dogs that were or were not identified by PCR as infected with trichomonads. These results suggest that P. hominis infection is more frequently identified than T. foetus infection in diarrheic dogs with trichomonosis and that concurrent enteropathogen infection is common in this population.