Studies on Some Protozoan Coccidian Zoonotic Infections in the Philippines: A Review

Florencia  G. Claveria,

Studies on Some Protozoan Coccidian Zoonotic Infections in the Philippines: A Review

Abstract:

The Philippines, off the coast of Asia and a little above the equator is endowed with a tropical climate all year round, with temperatures ranging between 19 to 35°C, and a relative humidity of 70 to 90%. There are two seasons, the dry (summer) and the wet (rainy) seasons, with the amount of rainfall varying from region to region. This climatic condition coupled with other factors favorable in sustaining biodiversity and organismal survival makes the Philippines a haven for ectoparasitic and endoparasitic species in different mammalian hosts, including humans.

Zoonosis is commonly reported worldwide, affecting man as well as wild and domestic animals that are of economic value. Based on the information pooled from available documented studies in the country, there seems to be paucity in information related to studies on the biology, prevalence and distribution of coccidian zoonotic infections.

This paper attempts to present a summary of documented studies on zoonotic infections in the Philippines, namely: sarcocystosis, toxoplasmosis, babesiosis, and trypanosomiasis.