Soil Contamination and Human Infection by Toxocara sp. in the Urban Area of Lima, Peru

Human toxocariasis: a seroepidemiological survey in the Amazonian city of Yurimaguas, Peru

“…Canine feces are frequent in public places and playgrounds in other countries, as reported by other authors around the world 1,5,15,22,24,33 . Although limited studies about soil contamination with Toxocara eggs in Peru have revealed a frequency ranging from 30% to 80% 19 . It is possible that the infection occurring in this population might have also happened by an accidental ingestion of infective Toxocara eggs from the soil of those public places.…”

“…In Peru, a few reports have informed of frequencies from 7.8% to 44.92% in rural populations from different places [7][8][9]19,30,31 . However, seroepidemiological studies about human toxocariasis in Peruvian Amazonian populations have not been reported.…”

Human toxocariasis: contribution by Brazilian researchers

“…Serum samples from 1,023 individuals resident in Lima (Peru) were examined for anti-Toxocara antibodies in the IMT Laboratory of Helminthology, showing a frequency rate of 7.33% 63 .…”

“…Eggs of ascarids, and particularly of Toxocara, are highly resistant to environmental conditions, remaining viable and infective for long periods 63 reported the retention of infectivity of at least 11 months for Toxocara canis eggs maintained at 28 o C in a 2% formalin solution. In addition, CHUNG et al 30 observed a greater survival rate when the eggs were maintained at 4 o C. However, certain environmental factors can influence the evolution of Toxocara eggs in the soil 48,54 .…”

Alterações comportamentais em Rattus norvegicus experimentalmente infectados por Toxocara cati ou T. canis

“…Esse período leva em média 28 a 30 dias, com condições ambientais favoráveis de umidade, temperatura, luminosidade e oxigenação (Lescano et al, 1998;Overgaauw, 1997). …”