Avaliação epidemiológica e deprotocolo terapêutico de felinos com infecção por Giardia spp

Abstract

Pathogenic microorganisms excreted in feces constitute one of the main classes of infectious agents affecting both humans and animals, resulting in severe intestinal diseases. Pets play a crucial role in the spread of these microorganisms, and in this context, domestic cats are particularly relevant due to their hunting habits, territoriality, and self-grooming. Among these microorganisms, Giardia spp. deserves special attention. Therefore, this study was fundamental due to the need to diagnose cats with giardiasis, aiming for specific treatment, as this disease can be self-limiting in immunocompetent cats and pose risks of infection to the caregivers who live directly with these animals. The research aimed to conduct an epidemiological analysis of felines infected with Giardia spp. and evaluate the efficacy of a therapeutic protocol using the combination of metronidazole and fenbendazole medications in the treatment of giardiasis in cats. The study was conducted on 38 cats diagnosed with giardiasis at the Carolina Nicola Feline Medicine Veterinary Clinic, located in the city of Santo Ângelo/RS, from October 2021 to June 2023. Samples collected during this period were sent to the Lince Veterinary Laboratory, where they were analyzed using the Faust technique. Additionally, hematological and biochemical tests were performed, including the Alere® rapid test for FIV/FeLV. After a positive result for Giardia spp., the animals were treated with the combination of metronidazole (25 mg/kg), every 12 hours (BID), for 7 days, and fenbendazole (50 mg/kg), once a day (SID), for 5 days. The results demonstrate that the protocol of combining metronidazole and fenbendazole has proven to be highly effective in the treatment of giardiasis, as among the cats subjected to this treatment, 94.74% showed negative results for Giardia spp. in a new test conducted 3 days after the end of treatment. [resumo fornecido pelo autor]