Risk Factors Associated with Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Dog Feces That Contaminate Public Areas of Warsaw, Poland
A constant increase in dog numbers, especially in large towns, has been observed recently. The presence of dogs in urban spaces increases the risk of pollution by dogs’ feces, which may contain growth forms of parasites including canine, soil-transmitted helminths (cSTHs), most of which have a prove...
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/3/450 |
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| author | Agnieszka Tylkowska Natalia Mocha Marta Małgorzata Kołnierzak Magdalena Szenejko |
| author_facet | Agnieszka Tylkowska Natalia Mocha Marta Małgorzata Kołnierzak Magdalena Szenejko |
| author_sort | Agnieszka Tylkowska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A constant increase in dog numbers, especially in large towns, has been observed recently. The presence of dogs in urban spaces increases the risk of pollution by dogs’ feces, which may contain growth forms of parasites including canine, soil-transmitted helminths (cSTHs), most of which have a proven zoonotic potential. This study assessed the frequency of occurrence and estimated the potential risk associated with the presence of cSTHs in dogs’ feces left uncollected in urban areas. The study material consisted of 200 fecal samples obtained from city and dog parks situated in selected Warsaw districts. Each fecal sample was processed using the flotation technique. Eggs of cSTHs, including <i>Toxocara canis</i>, <i>Toxascaris leonina</i>, <i>Trichuris vulpis</i>, and hookworms from the <i>Ancylostomatidae</i> family were found in 23 (11.5%) of the examined fecal samples. The most prevalent species were hookworms from the family <i>Ancylostomatidae</i> (8%). The presence of parasites was confirmed in 14 out of 20 studied locations (70%), including eight city parks (72.7%) and six dog parks (66.7%). City and dog parks did not differ significantly in the frequency of parasite occurrence. This study indicated that dogs’ feces, left uncollected, may cause environmental contamination with cSTHs. It also indicated that the presence of dogs’ feces in public areas and the associated presence of parasites is still a problem. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T04:01:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4f95b73ac6c243cba331cf490b3db4e9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T04:01:29Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-4f95b73ac6c243cba331cf490b3db4e92024-02-09T15:06:43ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-01-0114345010.3390/ani14030450Risk Factors Associated with Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Dog Feces That Contaminate Public Areas of Warsaw, PolandAgnieszka Tylkowska0Natalia Mocha1Marta Małgorzata Kołnierzak2Magdalena Szenejko3Department of Biology of Animal Environment, Institute of Animal Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Biology of Animal Environment, Institute of Animal Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Biology of Animal Environment, Institute of Animal Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Environmental Ecology, Institute of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Szczecin, Wąska 13, 71-415 Szczecin, PolandA constant increase in dog numbers, especially in large towns, has been observed recently. The presence of dogs in urban spaces increases the risk of pollution by dogs’ feces, which may contain growth forms of parasites including canine, soil-transmitted helminths (cSTHs), most of which have a proven zoonotic potential. This study assessed the frequency of occurrence and estimated the potential risk associated with the presence of cSTHs in dogs’ feces left uncollected in urban areas. The study material consisted of 200 fecal samples obtained from city and dog parks situated in selected Warsaw districts. Each fecal sample was processed using the flotation technique. Eggs of cSTHs, including <i>Toxocara canis</i>, <i>Toxascaris leonina</i>, <i>Trichuris vulpis</i>, and hookworms from the <i>Ancylostomatidae</i> family were found in 23 (11.5%) of the examined fecal samples. The most prevalent species were hookworms from the family <i>Ancylostomatidae</i> (8%). The presence of parasites was confirmed in 14 out of 20 studied locations (70%), including eight city parks (72.7%) and six dog parks (66.7%). City and dog parks did not differ significantly in the frequency of parasite occurrence. This study indicated that dogs’ feces, left uncollected, may cause environmental contamination with cSTHs. It also indicated that the presence of dogs’ feces in public areas and the associated presence of parasites is still a problem.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/3/450dogscSTHhelminths<i>Toxocara canis</i>hookwormsWarsaw |
| spellingShingle | Agnieszka Tylkowska Natalia Mocha Marta Małgorzata Kołnierzak Magdalena Szenejko Risk Factors Associated with Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Dog Feces That Contaminate Public Areas of Warsaw, Poland Animals dogs cSTH helminths <i>Toxocara canis</i> hookworms Warsaw |
| title | Risk Factors Associated with Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Dog Feces That Contaminate Public Areas of Warsaw, Poland |
| title_full | Risk Factors Associated with Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Dog Feces That Contaminate Public Areas of Warsaw, Poland |
| title_fullStr | Risk Factors Associated with Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Dog Feces That Contaminate Public Areas of Warsaw, Poland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Risk Factors Associated with Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Dog Feces That Contaminate Public Areas of Warsaw, Poland |
| title_short | Risk Factors Associated with Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Dog Feces That Contaminate Public Areas of Warsaw, Poland |
| title_sort | risk factors associated with soil transmitted helminths in dog feces that contaminate public areas of warsaw poland |
| topic | dogs cSTH helminths <i>Toxocara canis</i> hookworms Warsaw |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/3/450 |
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