Scenario of the prevalence of parasites in soil/sand samples in Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Zoonotic diseases are transmitted from animals to humans, compromising their health. The high concentration of dogs and cats in urban areas plays an important epidemiological role on soil contamination and thus in the dissemination of zoonotic diseases. The ingestion of eggs, cysts or oocysts of parasites and the penetration of helminths larvae in the skin are frequently related to environmental contamination. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of parasites in soil and/or sand samples in Brazil by a systematic review. Methods: A total of 43 papers were selected from SciELO Brasil, LILACS-Bireme PubMed/NCBI and Scopus, published between 2009 and 2019. The search was performed using the tems parasites, soil, sand and Brazil. Results: A higher number of publications occurred from 2012 to 2017. Studies were mainly concentrated in Southeast and South regions. Hence, further studies are needed in regions where there is limited basic sanitation. Ancilostomidae (larvae or eggs) were the most frequent parasites found in 41.8% of studies, followed by Toxocara spp. (32.6%) and Ascaris spp. (14%). Conclusion: The knowledge on the presence of parasites in the environment and its potential of contamination to the population is essential. Thus, the promotion of educational campaigns related to the implementation of zoonotic control is required in order to avoid the dissemination of parasites in the environment. Keywords: Parasites. Sand. Soil. Zoonoses. Brazil.