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. 1994 Jan;5(1):17-20.
doi: 10.1155/1994/786090.

Parasite contamination of sand and soil from daycare sandboxes and play areas

T W Gyorkos  1 , E Kokoskin-Nelson, J D Maclean, J C Soto
Affiliations

Parasite contamination of sand and soil from daycare sandboxes and play areas

T W Gyorkos et al. Can J Infect Dis. 1994 Jan.

Abstract
in English, French

Objectives: To determine if there was parasite contamination in the sand and soil in daycare sandboxes and play areas, with the goal of developing practice guidelines for their management.

Methods: One hundred samples of sand and soil from 10 daycare centres in different regions of the province of Quebec, collected between April 22 and May 6, 1991, were examined.

Results: Toxocara eggs were found in both surface and subsurface sand from two Montreal centres and co-occurred with Ascaris species (surface sand) in one centre and with hookworm (surface soil) in the second. Hookworm eggs were also recovered from one centre in the Quebec City region.

Conclusions: These results document the presence of potentially pathogenic helminth parasites in the daycare environment. Evidence from the literature regarding the health risk to children is insufficient and highlights the need for further research into the assessment of the risk of human infection and morbidity, the viability of these parasites under different environmental conditions and practical issues related to the management of sand and soil.

Objectif :: Développer des directives pour la protection du sable et de la terre des carrés de sable et des terrains de jeux des garderies contre une possible contamination parasitaire.

Méthode :: Cent échantillons de sable et de terre obtenus auprès de 10 garderies dans différentes régions du Québec ont été recueillis entre le 22 avril et le 6 mai 1991 pour fin d’étude.

Résultats :: Des oeufs de Toxocara ont été trouvés tant à la surface que sous la surface des carrés de sable de deux garderies de Montréal, avec l’espèce Ascaris (sable de surface) dans une garderie, et l’ankylostome (terre de surface) dans le second établissement. Des oeufs d’ankylostome ont également été identifiés dans un centre de la région de Québec.

Conclusions :: Ces résultats attestent de la présence de parasites helminthiques potentiellement pathogènes dans l’environnement des garderies. Les résultats présentés dans la littérature au sujet du risque que courent les enfants sont incomplets et rappellent la nécessité de pousser la recherche pour évaluer le risque d’infection et de morbidité chez l’humain, la viabilité de ces parasites selon différentes conditions environnementales, ainsi que les aspects pratiques liés à la prévention des infections transmises par le sable et la terre.

Keywords: Child daycare centres; Environmental microbiology; Parasites; Toxocara.

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