Toxocara canis prevalence in soil, dog stool, and human serum samples from a rural village in Los Ba ños, Laguna, Philippines

This study was conducted in a rural village in Los Ba ños, Laguna, Philippines to determine the prevalence of toxocariasis among selected public schoolchildren and identify some risk factors that can contribute to the transmission dynamics of toxocariasis in the study site. To elucidate this, serum samples from 50 public school children (ages 8–13) were tested using aToxocara canis IgG ELISA kit, while 60 randomly selected households were chosen for collection of soil and dog samples. Sixty soil and dog fecal samples were collected and processed through modified sucrose flotation technique and formalin-ethyl acetate concentration technique, respectively. Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) survey was conducted per household to determine potential risk factors. Results revealed that 60% of the public-school children examined were positive for anti-Toxocara canis antibodies, while 38.3% of the soil samples and 28% of the dog fecal samples were found positive for contamination withToxocara ova. Deworming of pets was found to be significantly correlated to risk factors of infection (p <  0.05). This study highlights the potential risks of toxocariasis infection of residents in rural communities. Strict implementation of ordinances related to responsible pet ownership as well as promotion of sanitation and hygiene should be employed.
Source: Journal of Parasitic Diseases - Category: Parasitology Source Type: research