title: [Study of Toxocara sp. eggs in soils of public areas of the city of Chillán, Chile].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Squares and public areas are mentioned frequently as source of infections by Toxocara sp. for people. There is no study of the presence of Toxocara sp. eggs in soils of the city of Chillán, Chile.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the presence of toxocara eggs in the soils of public areas of Chillán.
  
  
  METHODS
  43 public areas were studied in January of 2014. Samples were processed by sedimentation-flotation method. In addition, two positive control assays were performed: one with feces contaminated with Toxocara eggs mixed with soil; and the other leaving the feces on the soil and then analyzing this soil.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No Toxocara eggs were detected in public areas, but they were found in both positive control assays.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several factors, including seasonality (summer) and the frequency of the cleaning of the areas, may explain this result, which cannot be interpreted necessarily as a lack of risk, but instead as a low risk, if it exists, given the possibility that the load may be low enough as to be undetectable.
authors.forename: Millaray
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melín-Coloma
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Villaguala-Pacheco
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lisboa-Navarro
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Landaeta-Aqueveque
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002677:Chile; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000379:methods*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012987:Soil / Q000469:parasitology*; D014119:Toxocara / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D012987:Soil