Conference Abstract | Volume 9, Abstract 053 (ConfProc7) | Published: 30 Jun 2026
Michael Mawunyo Agbedanu1,2,&, Sherry Ama Mawuko Johnson1,3, Mustapha Ahmed3, William Tasiame1
1Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana, 2The Small Animal Teaching Hospital, University of Ghana, 3University of Ghana School of Veterinary Medicine
&Corresponding author: Michael Mawunyo Agbedanu, Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, University of Ghana School of Public Health, Accra, Ghana; Email: michaelagbedanu@gmail.com
Received: 29 Aug 2025, Accepted: 28 Oct 2025, Published: 30 Jun 2026
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Ancylostoma caninum, dogs, zoonotic infection, distribution, Ghana, One Health
©Michael Mawunyo Agbedanu et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Michael Mawunyo Agbedanu et al. Distribution and characteristics of confirmed ancylostoma caninum cases at the University of Ghana Small Animal Teaching Hospital, 2020–2024. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfProc7):053. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO7-0053
Ancylostoma caninum is a major gastrointestinal nematode in dogs that causes anemia and gastroenteritis and poses a zoonotic risk to humans through cutaneous larva migrans. The parasite’s growing resistance to common anthelmintics complicates its control. Understanding the distribution and characteristics of confirmed cases is essential to guide control strategies from a One Health perspective. This study described the distribution and characteristics of confirmed A. caninum cases presented at the University of Ghana Small Animal Teaching Hospital (SATH) from 2020 to 2024.
A retrospective desktop review was conducted using secondary data from SATH records between January 2020 and December 2024. The study population comprised all dogs presented for treatment or check-ups during this period. A confirmed case was defined as a dog with laboratory confirmation of A. caninum. Data extracted included age group, sex, month and year of occurrence, geographical origin, and presenting clinical signs. Descriptive statistics were computed using Microsoft Excel and presented as frequencies and proportions.
A total of 66 confirmed A. caninum cases were recorded. Dogs older than 24 months accounted for 19/66 (28.8%) of cases. Males were more affected, 44/66 (66.7%), than females, 22/66 (33.3%). Cases occurred year-round 66/66 (100%), with diarrhea as the most frequent sign 59/66 (89.4%). Most infections were reported from peri-urban and semi-urban areas of the Greater Accra and Eastern regions.
Confirmed A. caninum infections occurred throughout the year and across all age groups, with higher proportions in male dogs. The findings highlight the need for continuous surveillance, routine deworming, improved sanitation, proper waste management, and targeted community education to reduce animal infection rates and potential zoonotic transmission.
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