Research Article Open Access

Prevalence of Canid Gastrointestinal Helminths Eggs in Soils from Playgrounds within Kisii Municipality, Kenya

Abstract

Human zoonosis threatens public health disease surveillance, management, control and eventual elimination. Nowadays, people and pets share private and public utilities oblivious of the potential risk of zoonotic pathogen transmissions. Toxocariasis is one of the most prevalent zoonotic helminthic infections that are transmitted by cats and dogs through soils contaminations. The present study sought to determine the extent at which soils from playgrounds in Kisii municipality, Kenya are contaminated with eggs of canid gastrointestinal helminths. The wandering quarter method was used to collect soil samples from playgrounds in Nyamataro, Daraja Mbili, Nubia and Jogoo areas. Zinc sulphate floatation method was used to separate ova, cysts and larvae that were observed microscopically. Fifty five (55) out of 84 (65.5%) samples were found to be positively contaminated with canid gastrointestinal helminths (P<0.001) where 37/55 (67.27%) were contaminated with either Toxocara sp., Ancylostoma sp. or Strongyloides sp. while 18/55 (32.73%) were contaminated with mixed helminths; Toxacara sp. and Ancylostoma sp. (33.3%) or Toxacara sp. and Strongyloides sp. (66.6%). Toxocara sp. being the most prevalent helminth in all the samples collected (56.8%; P<0.001). Results show that soil samples from play grounds within the Kisii municipality were contaminated with a variety of canid gastrointestinal helminths. Therefore, it implies that the population is at risk of intermittent zoonotic epidemic outbreaks. Necessitating implementation of mass treatment and public health programmes to treat infected animals and educate the population of the possibility of acquiring saprozoonoses.

Onkoba W. Nyamongo and Robert M Nyarangob

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