<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>This study aimed to determine the prevalence of endoparasites in dog feces from public places, investigate the occurrence of endoparasites in soil, and identify potential risk factors associated with the dog endoparasites infection spread in East Slovak Lowland - the region near the EU border with Ukraine. In a one-year study, a total of 803 dog fecal samples and 148 soil samples from public places were examined for the presence of endoparasite developmental stages. In general, 43.59 % of dog excrements were positive. Six different species of intestinal parasites were detected: <italic>Toxocara canis</italic> (22.65 %), <italic>Trichuris vulpis</italic> (14.07 %), family Ancylostomatidae (10.09 %), <italic>Capillaria aerophilla</italic> (5.60 %), <italic>Ascaris</italic> spp. (1.49 %). Altogether, 52.03 % of soil samples were positive for at least one endoparasites species. The occurrence of parasitic eggs in the soil was as follows: <italic>Ascaris</italic> spp. (37.16 %), <italic>Toxocara</italic> spp. (29.05 %), <italic>Trichuris</italic> spp. (29.05 %) %), family Ancylostomatidae (2.03 %) and <italic>Toxascaris leonina</italic> (2.03 %). The occurrence of endoparasites between the towns and villages varied significantly. The distribution of endoparasites in dogs and soil was affected by the population density, the minority people living in the studied territory, the number of people living in poor hygienic conditions with limited access to drinking water and the usage of sewerage. Persisting endoparasitic contamination of the environment in East Slovak Lowland forms a reservoir with zoonotic potential representing public and environmental health problems.</p>
</abstract>

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of endoparasites in dog feces from public places, investigate the occurrence of endoparasites in soil, and identify potential risk factors associated with the dog endoparasites infection spread in East Slovak Lowland - the region near the EU border with Ukraine. In a one-year study, a total of 803 dog fecal samples and 148 soil samples from public places were examined for the presence of endoparasite developmental stages. In general, 43.59 % of dog excrements were positive. Six different species of intestinal parasites were detected: Toxocara canis (22.65 %), Trichuris vulpis (14.07 %), family Ancylostomatidae (10.09 %), Capillaria aerophilla (5.60 %), Ascaris spp. (1.49 %). Altogether, 52.03 % of soil samples were positive for at least one endoparasites species. The occurrence of parasitic eggs in the soil was as follows: Ascaris spp. (37.16 %), Toxocara spp. (29.05 %), Trichuris spp. (29.05 %) %), family Ancylostomatidae (2.03 %) and Toxascaris leonina (2.03 %). The occurrence of endoparasites between the towns and villages varied significantly. The distribution of endoparasites in dogs and soil was affected by the population density, the minority people living in the studied territory, the number of people living in poor hygienic conditions with limited access to drinking water and the usage of sewerage. Persisting endoparasitic contamination of the environment in East Slovak Lowland forms a reservoir with zoonotic potential representing public and environmental health problems.

Risk factors associated with dog endoparasites infection spread in East Slovak Lowland

University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice

Helminthologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of endoparasites in dog feces from public places, investigate the occurrence of endoparasites in soil, and...

Risk factors associated with dog endoparasites infection spread in East Slovak Lowland

Published Online: Sep 22, 2023

Page range: 152 - 160

Received: Mar 01, 2023

Accepted: May 24, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2023-0014

Keywords
public places, dogs, parasites, anthropogenic risk conditions, environment

© 2023 L. Ihnacik et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Risk factors associated with dog endoparasites infection spread in East Slovak Lowland

Published Online: Sep 22, 2023

Page range: 152 - 160

Received: Mar 01, 2023

Accepted: May 24, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2023-0014

Keywordspublic places, dogs, parasites, anthropogenic risk conditions, environment

© 2023 L. Ihnacik et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
public places, dogs, parasites, anthropogenic risk conditions, environment