Soil contamination with Toxocara spp. Eggs in the Public Parks of Tripoli City, Libya

Abstract

Toxocara spp. is a highly prevalent nematode that parasitizes the gastrointestinal tract of dogs and other canids. The eggs shed in the host’s feces can survive for a very long time in the environment and infect other canids and humans. Little information is available on the prevalence of and the risk factors associated with toxocariasis in Libya. To assess soil contamination with Toxocara spp., one hundred and five soil samples from public parks in different localities in Tripoli were examined by Dunsmore modified technique. The overall prevalence of Toxocara spp. in soil from public parks was 59.0% (62/105 samples). Our findings show a widespread soil contamination in public parks with Toxocara spp. eggs. Combined, these are a potential public health risk.