SOIL CONTAMINATION IN PUBLIC SQUARES IN BELO HORIZONTE, MINAS GERAIS, BY CANINE PARASITES IN DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
• Main Authors: Luciane Madureira Ribeiro, Ruth Massote Dracz, Lanuze Rose Mozzer, Walter dos Santos Lima
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 2013
• Subjects: Soil contamination; Zoonoses; Public health; Dogs parasites; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic; Caldwell
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652013000400002; https://doaj.org/article/28438b42630e4d7c879633f4de1b991a

SUMMARY To evaluate soil contamination by parasites in different developmental stages in public squares used as recreation and leisure areas for children in Belo Horizonte (MG, Brazil), 210 soil samples and 141 canine fecal samples were collected from 42 squares in the city. These samples were analyzed by the Caldwell and Caldwell technique and the Hoffman, Pons, and Janer technique. Of the samples analyzed, 89 (42.4%) soil samples and 104 (73.5%) fecal samples were contaminated with Ancylostoma sp., Toxocara sp., Trichuris sp., or Dipylidium sp. eggs; Giardia sp. cysts; or Isospora sp. oocysts. The commonest parasite was Ancylostoma sp., found in 85% soil and 99% fecal samples, followed by Toxocara sp., found in 43.7% soil and 30.7% fecal samples.