Toxocara spp. and others helminthes in soil samples from squares and parks in Puerto Ordaz, Caroní municipality, Bolívar state, Venezuela

• Main Authors: Rodolfo Antonio Devera, Víctor Daniel Arias López, Felipe José Vera Ramírez, Iván Darío Amaya Rodríguez, Ytalia Yanitza Blanco Martínez
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Spanish
• Published: Universidad del Zulia,Facultad de Medicina,Departamento de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Tropicales 2020
• Subjects: helmintiasis; toxocara; zonas de recreación; epidemiología; zoonosis; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic; Willis
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4276390; https://doaj.org/article/69c705dfd42e469caf3875c0ed729431

The squares and parks are recreation areas, especially for children; but the presence of eggs of Toxocara spp. and other helminths in these places can represent a risk of contracting toxocariasis and other helminthiasis of zoonotic origin. A study was carried out to determine the presence of Toxocara spp. eggs and other helminths in squares and parks from Puerto Ordaz, Caroní municipality, Bolívar state, Venezuela. Each square was divided into 4 quadrants and from each one a soil sample was collected which was processed using the techniques of Willis-Malloy, Lutz and Araraki. Of the 10 squares studied, 8 (80%) identified helminth eggs or larvae; there were positive places in the three parishes. Of the total of 40 processed soil samples, 15 (37.5%) were positive for the presence of larvae or helminth eggs, being the frequency of Toxocara spp., of 32.5% (13/40). In addition to the presence of Toxocara spp. (32.5%), highlighted the finding of Strongyloides spp. (5.0%), Ascaris spp. (2.5%) and Ancylostomideos (2.5%). In conclusion, an 80% frequency of contamination with eggs and larvae helminth was determined in the squares/parks evaluated, highlighting Toxocara spp. in 32.5% of the samples studied