The Global Prevalence of Diphyllobothrium in Dogs, and Cats: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: Fish tapeworms of the genus Diphyllobothrium are pseudophyllidean cestodes transmitted through the consumption of raw or inadequately cooked fish. Objective: The current systematic review and meta-analysis aim to estimate the global prevalence of Diphyllobothrium in dogs and cats based on published literature.  Methods: Multiple English databases (PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) were explored for relevant papers published until December 2021.  Findings: Among the 37 studies that were included, 32 documented Diphyllobothrium infection in dogs and five in cats. The pooled prevalence (95% confidence interval) was 0.060% (0.030%-0.100%). The analysis based on country showed that the highest pooled prevalence in dogs and cats was observed in Bangladesh (0.250%, 0.149%-0.366%) and Indonesia (0.254%, 0.182%-0.333%), respectively. Based on the continent, Africa (0.109%, 0.017%-0.264%) and Asia (0.060%, 0%-0.345%) were the most common regions for infection in dogs and cats, respectively. Among different diagnostic methods, the highest pooled prevalence was related to molecular (0.661%, 0.573%-0.743%) and parasitological techniques (0.041%, 0%-0.217%) for dogs and cats’ studies, respectively.  Conclusion: The findings show the importance of establishing a prevention and control measure focused on improving regular deworming and enhancing awareness of parasitic zoonotic diseases to minimize the transmission risk.