Are we paying too much attention to cardio-pulmonary nematodes and neglecting old-fashioned worms like Trichuris vulpis?

Trichuris vulpis,the dog whipworm,causes an intestinal parasitosis of relevance in current canine veterinary practice. its occurrence is well-known in pets,kennelled dogs and stray animals,and its eggs contaminate the ground in urban areas all over the world. moreover,t. vulpis has been occasionally incriminated,though not convincingly substantiated,as a cause of zoonosis. this nematode is erroneously considered an old-fashioned pathogen with a consequent lack of up- to- date knowledge on several aspects of the infection. these,in turn,are still controversial and need to be studied in greater depth. this article reviews current knowledge of t. vulpis,together with a discussion of critical points in epidemiology,zoonotic hazard,diagnosis and treatment of canine trichurosis. © 2011 traversa; licensee biomed central ltd.