Authors : Luis Tinoco-Gracia , Alberto Barreras-Serrano , Gilberto Lopez-Valencia , Alma Rossana Tamayo-Sosa , Maryhelen Rivera-Henry and Esteban Quintana-Ramirez
Abstract: The aim of the present study was to determine the frequency of Toxocara canis eggs in public parks in the city of Mexicali, B.C., Mexico. A total of 32 parks were sampled and examined using the zinc sulphate flotation method. Association between the frequency of T. canis eggs and the socioeconomic status and level of education of neighborhoods where the parks are located were evaluated using chi-square test. Twenty public parks (62.5 %) resulted positive and 12 (37.5%) were negative to T. canis eggs. Moreover, parasite eggs of Strongyloides sp. Taenia sp. and Dipylidium caninum were found in 8 of the T. canis positive parks and in 5 of the 12 negative parks. Furthermore, 7 parks were found to be negative to any parasites eggs. When evaluating the association between the frequency of T. canis eggs and the socioeconomic status and level of education of neighborhoods were the parks are located, the highest frequency of T. canis eggs (83.3%) was found in parks of high-income neighborhoods and different (p = 0.059) of that in parks with low-middle income neighborhoods. The level of education of neighborhoods did not influence the frequency of T. canis eggs contamination. These findings show that T. canis eggs, the causative agent of visceral larva migrans, are highly present in public parks of the urban area of Mexicali, B.C., Mexico. To prevent the contamination of parks and prevent children from becoming infected with these parasite eggs, control measures are needed.
Luis Tinoco-Gracia , Alberto Barreras-Serrano , Gilberto Lopez-Valencia , Alma Rossana Tamayo-Sosa , Maryhelen Rivera-Henry and Esteban Quintana-Ramirez , 2007. Frequency of Toxocara canis Eggs in Public Parks of the Urban Area of Mexicali, B.C., Mexico . Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 6: 430-434.