Prevalence of species of Toxocara in dogs, cats and red foxes from the Poznan region, Poland.

The prevalence of toxocariasis was evaluated for 445 dogs, 105 cats and 92 foxes from the Poznan region during 1997-1998. Forty one cats were infected (39%), 140 dogs (32%) and 15 red foxes (16%). Toxocara canis was found most frequently in puppies up to 3 months old (58%) and T. cati in kittens 4-6 months old (64%). Toxocariasis was much more prevalent amongst adult foxes (14%) than adult dogs (3%). In contrast to cats, female dogs and foxes were less infected than males. The present study suggests that cats may constitute an underestimated risk of transmission of Toxocara spp. to humans and the progressive synatropization of red foxes may also increase the sources of environmental contamination with Toxocara eggs.

Prevalence of Cryptosporidium in sheep and goats bred on five farms in west-central region of Poland.

Faecal specimens were taken from 205 sheep and goats housed in five different localities in the west-central part of Poland. All faecal specimens were examined for Cryptosporidium by using microscopy screening of smears stained by modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique and commercial enzyme immunoassay. PCR technique using genus specific primers was additionally applied in the surveys of 10 faecal specimens collected from lambs. C. parvum infection was identified in 16 of 159 sheep (10.1%). Lambs were more often infected than adult sheep, and the intensity of infection was higher in lambs than in sheep, as a rule. Both lambs and sheep examined in the study were asymptomatically infected with Cryptosporidium. Both microscopy and enzyme immunoassay methods gave one false negative result. The examination of 10 faecal samples revealed 100% agreement among the results obtained by microscopic, immunologic and molecular methods. None of the goats raised on three farms were infected with Cryptosporidium.

Survey on equine cryptosporidiosis in Poland and the possibility of zoonotic transmission.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in horses used for recreational riding as well as in humans. A total of 106 faecal specimens from horses raised in 4 localities of western Poland and 6 stool samples from 3 persons who had constant or sporadic contact with horses were screened microscopically for oocysts using modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining. Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was additionally used for the detection of coproantigen in human stool samples as well as in 43 randomly selected horse faecal samples. The overall infection rate of horses determined by microscopic examination was 9.4%. To our knowledge, this is the first report of cryptosporidial infection in horses in Poland. The infection was identified only in adult horses raised on 2 of 4 examined farms. The intensity of equine cryptosporidial infection was light, as a rule. None of the infected horses appeared clinically ill. The real overall infection rate in horses could be higher. Among 43 faecal specimens additionally processed by EIA, 5 samples were positive both for oocysts and coproantigen, whereas in 7 faecal samples only the parasite coproantigen was detected. The morphometric analysis of oocysts indicated that the horses were most probably infected with C. parvum. Of 3 examined persons, cryptosporidial infection was identified in a rider who had sporadic contact with horses.

[Toxocariasis in dogs and contamination of soil with Toxocara spp. eggs in the Poznan region]. / Toksokaroza u psów i zanieczyszczenie gleby jajami Toxocara spp. w aglomeracji poznanskiej.

Dogs and soil samples from Poznan city and the nearby small town Murowana Goslina were surveyed for the presence Toxocara eggs. On the areas examined, the range of dog's infections with T. canis and the contamination of the soil with the infective stage of Toxocara spp. were not paralleled. In Poznan city out of 617 dogs examined 11.8% were infected with adult form of T. canis and since 1980th the prevalence has decreased. In Murowana Goslina as much as 35.2% dogs out of 352 examined were infected. On the contrary the range of soil contamination with Toxocara spp. eggs was higher in Poznan (12% positive soil samples) than in Murowana Goslina (7% positive soil samples). The most heavily contaminated areas in both localities were urban backyards with 19% (Murowana Goslina) and 27% (Poznan) of soil samples positive; a mean egg density was 1.98 eggs/100 g and 0.48 eggs/100 g respectively. Contrary to the generally accepted opinion, the study suggests, that exposure of human population to Toxocara spp. infections may be higher in urban agglomeration than in the country. T. cati infections may be an important cause of human toxocarosis and the court yards as a play-grounds may be more risky source of Toxocara spp. infection than sand-boxes.