Soil contamination with eggs from Nematodes of zoonotic potential.

Toxocara canis, zoonotic nematodes, a problem of metropolitans only? Human infections with Toxocara canis occur in the Marche Region. The Toxocara canis infection rate is twice as high in rural than urban dogs. An important proportion of dogs are used to defecate in the peridomestic environment (house surroundings, garden, kennel) . The aims of the study were to assess environmental contamination in rural areas of the Marche region with eggs from Toxocara spp. and other zoonotic nematodes, to estimate the potential risk of infection for the population. Sixty farms were randomly selected out of 810 situated in the Camerino sanitary district. Six faecal samples and two soil samples were collected in each farm. The presence of helminth eggs in faecal (2-5g) and soil (250g) samples was revealed by a floatation technique based on a sugar-NaNO4 solution. This study revealed a high contamination of the rural environment with nematodes of zoonotic potential. The 52% prevalence of Toxocara spp eggs, measured in the peridomestic soil of the farms, is among the highest values reported in literature. re attention should be payed to the evaluation of zoonotic risk in rural areas. This would allow public health authorities to develop adequate preventive measures.