Ecuador review finds high canine hookworm burden, sharp regional gaps

A new systematic review and meta-analysis suggests canine hookworm infection is widespread in Ecuador, with a pooled Ancylostoma spp. prevalence of 32% in dogs and strong regional differences that could shape both veterinary and public health responses. Published in Animals, the study found the highest prevalence in the Insular region, at 50%, and the Coastal region, at 43%, compared with 12% in the Sierra. The authors argue those findings carry clear One Health implications because canine hookworms are zoonotic and can contribute to human disease. (staging.core.mdpi.com)

The paper adds synthesis to a fragmented evidence base. Ecuador has had relatively limited veterinary parasitology surveillance in dogs, but scattered local studies and related research have pointed to substantial parasite burdens, especially in coastal and marginalized settings. Recent molecular work from a coastal Indigenous community in Ecuador found high hookworm infection rates in both children and dogs, with evidence supporting potential cross-transmission between anthroponotic and zoonotic hookworm species. Another Ecuador study linked Ancylostoma ecoepidemiology in dogs, rodents, and the environment with human cutaneous larva migrans risk in coastal settings. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

The new review’s key message is heterogeneity. Rather than a uniform national burden, the available data suggest ecological and geographic differences matter, likely reflecting climate, sanitation, free-roaming dog density, and environmental exposure. The higher prevalence in coastal and insular areas fits with what’s already known about hookworm biology: warm, humid conditions favor larval survival in the environment and increase opportunities for transmission through contaminated soil. The study’s very high between-study heterogeneity, reported at I² = 98.3%, also signals that local conditions and study methods vary substantially, so clinicians should be cautious about extrapolating any single prevalence estimate to every practice setting. (staging.core.mdpi.com)

There’s also a species question beneath the headline prevalence number. While A. caninum is the hookworm most familiar to many small animal clinicians, Ecuadorian and broader regional research suggests other Ancylostoma species may also be relevant, including A. ceylanicum, which is capable of infecting both dogs and humans. In that Ecuador coastal community study, A. ceylanicum was identified in human samples, reinforcing that species-level diagnostics can materially change the zoonotic risk picture. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Industry and expert concern is likely to center on control, not just detection. A recent AAVP Hookworm Task Force review described Ancylostoma caninum as the most common and clinically important gastrointestinal nematode of dogs in the US and issued best-practice recommendations for diagnosis and management of multidrug-resistant hookworm cases. Related AAVP position work notes that hookworm isolates resistant to all anthelmintic classes registered in the US for canine hookworm control were first reported in 2019. More broadly, experts have warned that resistance in companion animal helminths often goes undetected because routine efficacy monitoring is uncommon. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this Ecuador review is less about a single prevalence figure and more about the operational implications. Practices serving dogs from high-risk environments, including free-roaming populations, shelters, breeding groups, or heavily contaminated outdoor settings, may need to think beyond standard empiric deworming and emphasize fecal surveillance, environmental hygiene, pet parent counseling, and follow-up testing when clinical response is poor. In regions where zoonotic exposure is plausible, hookworm control also becomes part of community health protection, especially for children and people with frequent soil contact. (staging.core.mdpi.com)

The study also highlights a gap that matters far beyond Ecuador: prevalence data alone don’t tell veterinarians whether the parasites involved are susceptible to commonly used products. That makes species identification, molecular surveillance, and post-treatment monitoring increasingly important, particularly as resistance concerns expand internationally. The Ecuador findings may therefore serve as a prompt for more structured surveillance programs that connect companion animal parasitology with public health monitoring. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

What to watch: The next steps are likely to include more molecular epidemiology to clarify which Ancylostoma species are circulating, targeted surveillance in coastal and insular regions, and research that pairs canine prevalence with human outcomes and anthelmintic efficacy data. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)