Soil Contamination with Canine Intestinal Parasites Eggs in the Parks and Shelter Dogs from Bucharest Area

AbstractSoil-transmitted helminthes infections are caused by different species of parasitic worms. They are transmitted by eggs or larvae present in dog faeces, which contaminate the soil. The presence of infective parasitic elements in the environment represents an important way of transmission of intestinally nematodes from dog to human and other animals. They can become infected by accidental ingestion of the infective elements or cutaneous contact with contaminated soil. The aim of this study was to determine the possibility of contamination with canine intestinal worms of the soil from different parks in Bucharest and a dog's shelter outside of town. A total of 45 soil samples were collected from 4 dog playpens (from which 3 fenced and 1 unfenced), 4 playgrounds and one shelter dogs. Helminthes eggs were found in 22.22% of the soil samples. Positive samples for at least one parasite have found in 1 (the unfenced once), 4 playpens, 3/4 playground and 1/1 shelter dogs. The most frequently parasites species found in the examinated soil samples were Toxocara spp. (17.17%), followed by Trichuris spp. (8.88%), Strongyloides spp. and Toxascaris spp., each one with 4.44%. 8.88% had only one kind of eggs, and two parasites mixt were found in 13.33%. This study has shown that Toxocara spp. were the main species of canine intestinally parasites in the soil samples, representing a major zoonotic risk for human