Acta Veterinaria Eurasia
Research Article

Contamination of Soil Samples of Public Parks with Toxocara spp. Eggs in Kermanshah, Iran

1.

Department of Parasitology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

2.

Departmentof Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pardis, Zabol, Iran

3.

Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

Acta Vet Eurasia 2016; 42: 47-50
DOI: 10.16988/iuvfd.2016.73365
Read: 1204 Downloads: 625 Published: 22 December 2019

Toxocariasis is a zoonotic helminth infection, occurring in humans by the accidental ingestion of embryonated eggs of Toxocara canis and less frequently Toxocara cati. The present study was conducted to determine the existence of Toxocara spp. eggs by using the sucrose flotation method. A total of 150 soil samples were collected randomly from 7 public parks in Kermanshah city between September and December 2014 for investigating the presence of infective stages of parasites and to determine the prevalence of helminth eggs. Of the 150 soil samples examined, 27 (18%) were infected with eggs of Toxocara spp. eggs. The present investigation showed that humans (especially children) from urban areas are at risk of acquiring helminth infection from contaminated soil. Since this host species is capable of transmitting zoonotic agents to both animals and humans, animal populations, including stray dogs and cats, have to be controlled to minimize the distribution of parasites. 

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