Abstract
Toxocara spp. contamination in public parks of the Constitutional Province of Callao and the southern zone ofLima was evaluated to assess the human health risk. Turf samples were collected from 176 of 479 parks (78 from Callao and 98 from southem Lima) using the double "W" method. Samples were processed by flotation using NaCl saturated solution. A sample was considered positive when at least one egg of Toxocara spp. was found. During analysis, the parks were grouped according to condition (good grass cover, moderate grass cover (around 50% covered with grass) or poor to non-existent grass cover), as well as by the socio-economic leve of the neighborhood where they were located ( upper - Leve 1, middle - Level 11, lower rniddle - Leve III and lower - Leve IV). Toxocara spp. contamination was found to be 37 ± 11 % and 30 ± 9% for parks in Callao and southem Lima. In parks with good, moderate and poor grass cover, rates of 100%, 100% and 6% were found in the Callao area, compared to 42 %, 4 7% and 21 % in the parks of southem Lima. Evaluation of the parks according to socio-economic level revealed that in Callao, parks in levels 1, 11, III and IV had contarnination rates of 100%, 48%, 27% and 40%, while rates of 60%, 17% and 27% were found in the level 11, III and IV parks of southern Lima. Parks with good and moderate grass cover were restricted to socioeconornic levels 1 and 11, while parks with poor grass cover were found in leve IV neighborhoods. The abundant grass cover and high humidity of well tended level 1 and 11 parks apparently explains the survival of Toxocara spp. eggs, while the poor grass cover and lack of watering in lower leve parks leaves the eggs exposed to direct solar radiation leading to their destruction. Positive samples were incubated in a 2.5% potassium dichromate solution and orally inoculated in mice to verify the viability of eggs. Subsequently, migrant larva were recovered demonstrating the infective capacity ofthe Toxocara spp. eggs recovered during this study.
Translated title of the contribution | Contamination in public parks with eggs of Toxocara spp. in the districts of the Constitutional Province of Callao and the southern zone of metropolitan Lima |
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Original language | Spanish |
Pages (from-to) | 52-57 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Revista de Investigaciones Veterinarias del Peru |
Volume | 11 |
Issue number | 1 |
State | Published - 2000 |
Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
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