Enteroparasitoses and Toxocarosis Affecting Children from Mar del Plata City, Argentina

Occurrence and removal of intestinal parasites in two wastewater treatment plants in the south of Morocco

BACKGROUND

Agadir city plans to reuse treated wastewater on a large scale to irrigate these green spaces. This study aims to evaluate the risk of intestinal parasites, to which human and animal populations are exposed during the reuse of treated wastewaters.

METHODS

Over 21 months, wastewater samples were collected in Bensergao and Mzar wastewater treatment plants, in Agadir city, southern Morocco. The occurrences and removal of intestinal parasites were inspected using the modified Bailenger method.

RESULTS

The biodiversity of helminths is higher than protozoa, while the protozoa cysts are more abundant and more prevalent. Generally, the highest parasitic loads were recorded during the hot season. For raw waters, the average concentration of protozoa cysts was 173.33 ± 70.81 cysts per L for Bensergao plant and 179.33 ± 129.22 cysts per L for Mzar plant. However, the helminths average concentration was 48.70 ± 39.91 eggs/larvae per L for Bensergao plant and 51.10 ± 31.76 eggs/larvae per L for Mzar plant. The purified water of the Mzar plant does not contain parasites, unlike the Bensergao plant where a small numbers of parasites were detected, included 2.33 ± 1.53 cysts per L for protozoa and 0.45 ± 0.58 eggs/larvae per L for helminths.

CONCLUSIONS

Considering parasitological risks, the purified waters of Bensergao plant cannot be used without risks to the public health and environment. In contrast, the purified waters and the purified waters disinfected by ultraviolet radiation from the Mzar plant can be used safely to water the green spaces of Agadir city.

Intestinal parasites in canine feces contaminating urban and recreational areas in Ushuaia (Argentina)

Wild and domestic dogs are important reservoir hosts of numerous intestinal parasites that represent potential infection sources for both humans and wild or other domestic animals. The aim of this study was to determine the presence, diversity, and contamination potential of intestinal parasites in dog feces contaminating urban and recreational areas in Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego province, Argentina). A total of 80 canine fecal samples were collected from urban (playgrounds, streets, sidewalks, squares and coastal walks) and recreational areas (winter centers for raising and training sled dogs) in 2018. Samples were preserved in 5% formalin and processed using formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation and FLOTAC dual Pellet techniques. Data were analyzed using the R software. At least one parasite species was recovered in 32.5% of the total samples examined. Of the seven parasite species detected, infection by protozoan species was higher than helminth infections (28.8% versus 8.8%). Sarcocystis sp. (20.0%), Giardia sp. (8.8%) and Cystoisospora spp. (7.5%) were the most frequent species, followed by Toxocara canis (5.0%), Echinococcus spp./Taenia spp. (2.5%), Trichuris vulpis and Uncinaria sp. (1.3% for both). Single infections (69.2%) were more frequent than coinfections with two (19.2%) and three parasite species (11.5%). This study provides the first description of the diversity and frequency of intestinal parasite species in dog feces from Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. The unfavorable environment of Ushuaia, characterized by low temperatures and winter snowfall, is likely to reduce parasite survivability, decreasing contamination potential. Some parasite species found are potentially zoonotic and represent an important risk for the human population and a source of infection to free-roaming pets. The results of this study revealed the need to strengthen the prevention, surveillance and control of these infections in pets, as well as to implement programs for public health education, control measures for the free-roaming canine population, and responsible pet ownership in the study area.