title: Study on the contamination of Abadan public parks soil with Toxocara spp. eggs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Toxocariasis is one of the most important zoonotic diseases caused by Toxocara larva stage in humans. One of the major transmission routes of infection, especially in children is pica. The aim of this topic was study the contamination of Abadan public parks with Toxocara eggs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and ninety one samples of soil were collected from 31 parks. The samples were examined for Toxocara spp. eggs by modified floatation method using saturated sucrose. The results were analyzed using SPSS version 19 and Chi-square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty five (29.2%) out of 291 samples were infected with Toxocara spp. eggs, means19 (61.2%) of the 31 parks were contaminated. There was no significant difference between the urban and suburb parks contamination (p = 0.208) but there was significant relation between contamination with Toxocara spp. eggs and traces of cats and dogs presence in the parks (p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As the contamination of Abadan public parks soil with Toxocara spp. eggs is relatively high, the people and specially children might get the contamination during stay in the parks and measures should be taken to control the stray cats and dogs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Abadan Arvand International division, Institute of Health, Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathy Research Center, Ahwaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahwaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Sharif
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maraghi
authors.affiliation: Abadan school of Medical sciences, Abadan, Iran ; Ahwaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahwaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Komeil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mazhab Jafari
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Mahmoud
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sadjjadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistic and Epidemiology, School of Health, Health research institute, Diabetes research Center, Ahwaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahwaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Mahmoud
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Latifi
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zibaei
keywords: Abadan; Contamination; Iran; Park; Soil; Toxocara; Toxocaraiasis