Toxocariasis in urban environment of western Slovakia

Abstract

261 SummaryThe aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of toxocariasis in Bratislava and smaller towns in western Slovakia. During 2006 -2011, sand samples collected from 121 sandpits were investigated: 63 sandpits were from Bratislava City and 58 from sandpits in towns outside Bratislava (Malacky, Pezinok Stupava). In Bratislava, 27 % of examined sandpits were contaminated with Toxocara spp. eggs. In smaller towns eggs of Toxocara spp. were found from three sandpits (6.8 %) of Pezinok and Stupava only. In Malacky, no faeces and no eggs were found in any sandpits. Faecal samples of 1436 dogs and 263 cats were investigated. T. canis eggs were found in the faeces of 16.5 % dogs and T. cati in 18.6 % of examined cats. Toxocariasis of dogs was significantly higher in smaller towns such as the city Bratislava (χ2 = 10.88 for P ≤ 0.001). The difference in prevalence of T. cati in cats bred in Bratislava and outside Bratislava was not confirmed (P ≤ 0.05). 382 pregnant women were examined by ELISA. Anti-Toxocara antibodies were detected in 32 women (8.4 %). The difference in seroprevalence of women coming from Bratislava (6.6 %) and smaller towns outside Bratislava (11.0 %) was not statistically significant (χ2 = 1.6; P ≤ 0.05).

Parasitic contamination of urban and rural environments in the Slovak Republic: dog’s excrements as a source

“…T. canis, T. vulpis and Ancylostomatidae were the major source of contamination. Our results corresponded with those of Antolová et al (2004), Szabová et al (2007) and Ondriska et al (2013) which studied the occurrence of parasites in dogs from Slovakia. Similarly, Neves et al (2014) monitored the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in dogs with no clinical signs from urban area in northern Portugal.…”

“…In urban environment of western Slovakia Ondriska et al (2013) found in dogs faeces 12 parasite species. In contrast to our study the most frequent parasite was Giardia spp., which occurred at the same rate (17.8 %) as T. canis (16.5 %).…”

“…Besides those benefits, the presence of large populations of untreated animals or stray dogs and cats establish a permanent reservoir for the infection. Contamination of the environment with parasitic germs is potential source of infection to the humans and other paratenic hosts (Despomier, 2003; Szabová et al, 2007; Macpherson, 2013;Ondriska et al, 2013;Khademvatan et. al., 2014).…”

“…and Toxascaris leonina dogs and cats are very important. For example, human toxocariasis occurs after ingestion of infective and the subsequent migration of larvae (Ondriska et al, 2013). Although the clinical features vary, three syndromes are recognized: toxocaral visceral larva migrans, ocular larva migrans and covert toxocariasis (Kinčeková et al, 1998(Kinčeková et al, , 1999(Kinčeková et al, , 2000Sudhakar et al, 2013).…”

Parasites with possible zoonotic potential in the small intestines of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from Northwest Bohemia (CzR)

“…Parasitic contamination of urban and rural environments by Canidae excrements is a growing problem (Ondriska et al, 2013;Papajová et al, 2014). The presence of red fox feces in the soil of urban and suburban areas can threaten the health of animals and humans, mainly due to the presence of zoonotic parasite eggs (primarily Echinococcus multilocularis and Toxocara canis).…”