Contamination of soil with eggs of geohelminths Ascaris spp., Trichuris spp., Toxocara spp. in Poland - potential source of health risk in farmers.

Abstract

Soil is one of the most commonly occurring sources of biological hazards in the environment. It is a reservoir of many pathogens and an important factor in the environmental transmission of parasites. The aim of the article is to discuss the general degree of parasitic contamination of agriculturally used soil in Poland from the aspect of potential health risk for farmers. Parasitic studies of soil conducted to-date in Poland demonstrate that it is considerably contaminated. The presence of the eggs of geohelminths Ascaris spp., Toxocara spp., and Trichuris spp was most often observed. The main cause of contamination of agriculturally used soil are fertilizers, sewage sludge, as well as animal faeces. The presence of invasive forms of parasites in the environment creates the risk of infection in humans due to direct or indirect exposure resulting from the way of performing work. In Poland, the frequency of infections with nematodes of the genera Ascaris spp., Trichuris spp., Toxocara spp. in humans has not been recognized. Considering the high percentage of positive results obtained in parasitic examinations of soil it may be presumed that there is still a real threat to human health, including population groups engaged in agricultural production.