Prevalence of Toxocara canis eggs in dog faeces from public places of Florence, Italy

Abstract

Summary: To determine whether canine faecal contamination may represent a source of environmental contamination with Toxocara canis eggs within the urban area of Florence, a total number of 754 dog faeces were collected in 7 public places and examined by routine floatation technique during one-year period. The total prevalence of intestinal nematode eggs was 8. 6 %. Trichuris vulpis (4. 6 %) eggs were the most prevalent followed by T. canis (3. 6 %) and Ancylostomidae (1. 7 %) eggs. Mixed infections included T. canis/T. vulpis (0. 7 %), Ancylostomidae/T. canis (0. 4 %), and Ancylosto-midae/T. vulpis (0. 3 %). Total prevalence of intestinal nematode eggs was significantly higher in spring than in winter (OR = 2. 06). Our results indicate a low prevalence of T. canis eggs suggesting that dog faeces left on soil are unlikely to cause high environmental contamination with T. canis eggs in the town of Florence. © 2012 Versita Warsaw and Springer-Verlag Wien.