Abstract

MARTINEZ-BARBABOSA, Ignacio; GUTIERREZ CARDENAS, Elena Marcia; ALPIZAR SOSA, Edubiel Arturo  and  PIMIENTA LASTRA, Rodrigo de Jesús. Parasitic contamination by dog feces collected from the streets of San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico. Vet. Méx [online]. 2008, vol.39, n.2, pp.173-180. ISSN 0301-5092.

An analysis of canine faecal material collected in 13 different neighborhoods of the city of San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, was carried out in order to know the frequency of contamination caused by Toxocara canis and other canine parasites. A total of 200 samples from streets, a traffic refuge and a park of the chosen neighborhoods in the city, were examined using the zinc sulphate method. Evidence of parasites was found in 37% (n = 74) of the samples. The frequency of I canis eggs was found to be 19 %, and that of Ancylostoma caninum eggs 18.5%; the oocistes of Isospora canis represented 2.5%. These results indicate that contamination of the soil of San Cristobal de Las Casas with these parasites, presents both a latent health risk for the population and visitors of this city, besides the poor image fecal contamination gives to national and foreign tourists.

Keywords : Toxocara; Ancylostoma; Public Health; Epidemiology; Zoonosis.

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