detection of yersinia spp and salmonella spp. in apparently healthy cats and dogs in tehran, iran

Introduction: companion animals, such as cat and dog, are potential sources of transmissible diseases to humans, especially children. they harbor zoonotic agents in gastrointestinal tracts as carriers which are capable of infecting their owners. salmonella and yersinia bacteria are considered as frequent causes of illness in children. this study was aimed at finding out the prevalence rate of infection in apparently healthy dogs and cats in tehran, iran.materials and methods: a total of 100 rectal swabs from dogs and cats were analyzed by a multiplex pcr method with specific primers for detection of yersinia and salmonella species.results: fifteen samples (4 cats and 11 dogs) were positive for yersinia and 20 samples (9 cats and 11 dogs) were positive for salmonella. so the prevalence rate of yersinia was 8% in cats and 22% in dogs and the prevalence rates of salmonella were 18 and 22% in cats and dogs respectively.discussion and conclusion: according to the results, yersinia and salmonella were detected in 8 22% of pet animals without any clinical signs. the contaminated animal foods may be the main source of infection. these results may be useful in planning control and preventive programs.