Contamination of soil samples with helminth eggs in urban and rural areas of Pyatigorsk

Zaichenko I.V., Orobets V.A., Derkachev D.Yu.

Summary

Environmental pollution with dog feces is epidemiologically important factor that leads to significant contamination of soils with helminth eggs. To assess the risk of invasion of people and tourists authors determined the prevalence of helminth eggs in soil of the city of Pyatigorsk (parks and private sector) and its suburbs. Research showed that 73% of the soil samples was contaminated with helminth eggs (n = 82) including 41% (n = 46) Toxocara eggs, 39% (n = 44) Strongyloides eggs, 37,5% (n = 42) Uncinaria eggs and 25% (n = 28) others helminth eggs. In rural area Toxocara eggs were found in 53,3% (n=16) of samples, in parks and public places in 44,4% (n=16) of samples, in built up areas 33,3% (n=10) of samples and 11,1% (n=2) of samples in private sector. It is established that contamination of soil in rural areas and private sector is lower than in other areas that may be due to the lack of a large number of stray dogs and cats.

Key words: soil contamination, soil samples, Pyatigorsk, flotation, resort zone, helminth eggs, toxocarose, uncinariose, strongyloidose.

References

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Author affiliation

Orobets Vladimir A., D. Sc. in Veterinary Medicine, professor, head of the department of therapy and pharmacology of the Stavropol State Agrarian University; 49, 67/4, 50 let VLKSM st., Stavropol, 355042; phone: 8(928)327-60-16; e-mail: orobets@yandex.ru.

Derkachev Dmitry Yu., post-graduate student of the Stavropol State Agrarian University; 93, Zheleznovodskaya st., Mineralnye Vody, Stavropol region, 357212; phone: 8(928)348-37-31.

Responsible for correspondence with the editorial board: Zaichenko Igor V., post-graduate student of the department of therapy and pharmacology of the Stavropol State Agrarian University; 1, 74/17 Lenina st., Stavropol, 355012; phone: 8(961)496-29-62, e-mail: igorzaichenko@mail.ru.