[Zoonotic parasites of cats and dogs found in playground sandboxes in the Reykjavik area, Iceland]
- PMID: 20065440
[Zoonotic parasites of cats and dogs found in playground sandboxes in the Reykjavik area, Iceland]
Abstract
Recent surveys on the parasites of household cats and dogs in Iceland have revealed the zoonotic protozoans Cryptosporidium parvwn and Toxoplasma gondii and the zoonotic nematodes Toxocara cati and T. canis. Furthermore, a Giardia sp., recently found in cats in Iceland, is also suspected to be a zoonotic parasite. In Iceland children frequently play in open sandboxes commonly found at kindergartens, in public areas or in private gardens. During the cold months of the year, when the soil is frequently frozen, cats frequently visit these sandboxes and dig their faeces in the dry and loose sand. To evaluate the risk of zoonotic infections, altogether 32 sandboxes in the Reykjavik area in SW-Iceland were examined for the presence of cat and dog protozoan and helminth parasites. Systematically collected sand samples (30 ml sand from every square meter of each sandbox), altogether 411 samples, were examined by a modified salt flotation technique. Furthermore, cat and dog faeces were collected from the surface of the sandboxes and also by sieving approximately five liters of sand from every square meter of each sandbox. The faecal samples found were examined by salt flotation and the formalin-ethylacetate concentration method.
Similar articles
-
Parasitological investigation of children's sandboxes and dog faeces from public areas of housing development in Prague.Folia Parasitol (Praha). 1982;29(2):133-8. Folia Parasitol (Praha). 1982. PMID: 7201949
-
Detection of zoonotic intestinal parasites in public parks of Spain. Potential epidemiological role of microsporidia.Zoonoses Public Health. 2012 Feb;59(1):23-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2011.01411.x. Epub 2011 May 12. Zoonoses Public Health. 2012. PMID: 21824364
-
Screening of Zoonotic Parasites in Playground Sandboxes of Public Parks from Subtropical Mexico.J Parasitol Res. 2019 Jun 2;2019:7409076. doi: 10.1155/2019/7409076. eCollection 2019. J Parasitol Res. 2019. PMID: 31275627 Free PMC article.
-
Epidemiologic and zoonotic aspects of ascarid infections in dogs and cats.Trends Parasitol. 2010 Apr;26(4):155-61. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2010.01.002. Epub 2010 Feb 19. Trends Parasitol. 2010. PMID: 20172762 Review.
-
Veterinary and public health aspects of Toxocara spp.Vet Parasitol. 2013 Apr 15;193(4):398-403. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.12.035. Epub 2012 Dec 20. Vet Parasitol. 2013. PMID: 23305972 Review.
Publication types
LinkOut - more resources
Miscellaneous