Current parasitological threats in the UK

In recent years, the threat posed to both pets and people by parasites has grown, fuelled by a milder climate and increased movements of pets and people. Nurses play a vital role in discussing parasite control and clients will sometimes feel more comfortable seeking advice in nurse clinics or at reception rather than in veterinary consultations where time may be limited.

In the UK, cat fleas and Toxocara spp. roundworms are present at high prevalence across the country, exposure to infection cannot be avoided and the clinical and zoonotic significance of infection is high. In addition, tick numbers and activity is increasing, Angiostrongylus continues to spread across the UK and hydatid disease may present a renewed threat though abattoir spread. This in combination with exotic parasites entering the country on travelled and imported pets has created a very fluid situation, with the distribution of parasites and risk of exposure rapidly changing.

Cat fleas are thriving in the UK with recent mild winters and wet, warm summers allowing prolonged survival and favourable breeding conditions in outdoor environments. Central heating also allows environmental stages of the flea life cycle to persist all year round in the home. This combination of factors leads to increased flea challenge on domestic pets and without routine preventative treatment, there is a high risk of flea infestations establishing (Coles and Dryden, 2014). Although cat fleas cannot live and reproduce on people, they can bite leading to human irritation. They are also a source of revulsion, eroding the human–animal bond. They are a cause of flea allergic dermatitis, anaemia in heavy infestations and vectors for a variety of infections including Bartonella spp. (cause of cat scratch disease), Rickettsia felis (cause of spotted fever) and Haemoplasma spp. (cause of feline infectious anaemia).