Analysis and evaluation of the current state of sanitary and parasitological methods of soil investigation

Abstract

Introduction. The unregulated use of undisinfected sewage, their sludge, manure and runoff from livestock farms plays a leading role in the contamination of soil, agricultural, vegetable, and berry crops with invasive material, creating a high risk of infection for people and animals with pathogens of helminthiases and intestinal protozoal diseases. 
 The purpose of the research was to analyze and evaluate the current state of the presented sanitary and parasitological methods for studying soils. 
 Materials and methods. The material was retrospectively analyzed literary data, state reports of Federal Service for Supervision in Protection of the Rights of Consumer and Man Wellbeing on the pollution of residential soils for 2019–2021. 
 Results. As part of the experimental studies, there was made an assessment of approved sanitary and parasitological methods for studying soils, modern PCR methods and the patented IFM-IMS. The following results were obtained: Lamblia intestinalis, Toxocara spp. failed to be detected by Romanenko’s method found in 33.8% of cases, by Padchenko’s method Lamblia intestinalis – in 21.2% of cases, Toxocara spp. not detected, by the patented IMS-IFM method Lamblia intestinalis were found in 75.4%, Toxocara spp. – in 69.7%, by PCR , Lamblia intestinalis – in 11.4%, and Toxocara spp – in 34.1%.
 Limitations are related to the use in our own experimental studies of 2 types of parasitic agents – geohelminth eggs Toxocara spp. and cysts of the protozoan Lamblia intestinalis, as well as 2 types of soils, while data from state reports of the Federal Service for Supervision in Protection of the Rights of Consumer and Man Wellbeing contain the results of sanitary and parasitological control over the entire range of pathogens detected in various types of soils of the Russian Federation.
 Conclusion. It seems promising to introduce new parasitological soil research methods along with those approved to obtain a more complete and reliable picture of the level of parasitic contamination of soils in the Russian Federation for the timely implementation of stages of preventive measures.