PARASITES WITH ZOONOTIC POTENTIAL IN DOG FAECES COLLECTED FROM PUBLIC PARKS OF THE CITY OF FERNANDÓPOLIS, SP, BRAZIL.

AC25

Cassenote, A. J. F. (1) cassenote@usp.br; Oliveira, A. B. (2); Pinto Neto, J. M. (2); Cortez, M. G. (2); Siqueira, W. J. P. (2); Carvalho, R. C. (2); Sanchez, M. C. A. (3); Ferreira, A. W. (1); Rubinsky-Elefant, G (3). 

1 – Departamento de Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.

2 – Faculdades Integradas de Fernandópolis, Fundação Educacional de Fernandópolis, Fernandópolis, São Paulo, Brasil.

3 – Laboratório de Soroepidemiologia e Imunobiologia, Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.

Introduction: The rule of the dog as a definitive host of some parasites with zoonotic potential has been studied and recognized as an important problem of public health. Dogs that harbor adult worms pass the parasite eggs into the environmental in their faeces, same of which can also infect humans. Children are most commonly infected when they eat soil contaminated with eggs or put objects contaminated with eggs into their mouths. Dog’s ownership and its widening in urban agglomerations creates a continuing increasing trend. A growing danger of contamination of human environmental with infectious stages of zoonoses originating from dogs is related to this phenomenon. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the occurrence of zoonotic parasites in dog’s faeces collected from public parks, from March to June, 2007, in Fernandópolis city, São Paulo state, Brazil. Methods: We collected 428 samples faeces individually, from four Public Parks in the Fernandópolis city. The faeces were examined by using a spontaneous-sedimentation method and fluctuation in saturated sodium chloride solution. Results: Parasites with zoonotic potential were present in 46% (196) of the 428 samples studied. Among them the most frequent agent was  Ancylostoma spp. (48.3%). Toxocara canis eggs were found on 32.3% samples. Trichuris vulpis eggs (12.1%) were also found followed by Giardia spp cysts (8.2%). Multiple infections with two or more parasite were less common than infections with a single parasite type. The most frequently multiple infection was of  Ancylostoma spp with other parasites in 20 samples,  Toxocara canis 45% (9), Trichuris vulpis 30% (6) and Giardia spp. 25% (5). Conclusions: The present results showed a high frequency of parasites with zoonotic potential, among them Ancylostoma spp and Toxocara canis, parasites that cause cutaneous and visceral larva migrans respectively. The ascarid worm Toxocara canis is considered to be one of the most frequent canine parasites that represents a considerable health risk, especially for children. Others parasites found to exhibit only minor pathological potential for the human. The findings suggest the importance about the implantation of an active zoonoses control center and adoption of sanitary preservation programs in these sites is necessary in order to prevent environmental contamination by parasites potentially pathogenic to human.