Park Playgrounds Research Articles

Environmental risk estimation of potentially toxic metal(loid)s (PTMs) in fine particulate dust on the surface of children's playgrounds in parks

To determine the priority control factors for risk control and management of potentially toxic metal(loid)s (PTMs) in fine particulate dust (FPD) on the surface of children's playgrounds in parks, a comprehensive study was conducted on the pollution, risks, and sources of 12 PTMs in the FPD, taking Xi’an, China as a case. The pollution, ecological and health risks of PTMs were assessed using Nemerow integrated enrichment factor, modified Nemerow integrated eco–risk index, and health risk evaluation model, combined with Monte Carlo simulation. The sources of PTMs in the FPD were quantitatively apportioned using a positive matrix factorization model. Priority control factors for PTMs risk control and management were determined based on the results of source–oriented pollution and risk assessment. The results showed that the average contents (mg kg–1) of Cd (1.9), Cr (99.8), Cu (96.3), Hg (0.2), Pb (61.1), and Zn (239.4) in the FPD were considerably greater than local background values. The sources of PTMs in the FPD are industrial emission, coal combustion and medical activities, mixed source, and natural source, contributing 24.7%, 18.2%, 35.1%, and 22.1% to the total content of PTMs in the FPD, respectively. PTMs in the FPD posed a certain cancer risk to the elderly and children. Industrial emissions and mixed sources are priority control sources, while Cd and Cr are priority PTMs. It is recommended that local eco–environmental departments strengthen environmental monitoring of playgrounds, as well as management of industrial and transportation emissions, to ensure the health of residents.

ANALYSIS OF PREFERENCES OF CHILDREN WITH HEALTH LIMITATIONS REGARDING THE ARRANGEMENT OF INCLUSIVE CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUNDS IN MOSCOW

The research goal is to analyze the data on the organization and level of improvement of playgrounds with an inclusive component located on the territory of three large multifunctional parks in Moscow received from respondents to develop guidelines for organizing children’s inclusive playgrounds in large cities. The current research relevance is due to the fact that in Russia, until recently, children with health limitations were isolated from communication with peers and other people due to the fact that in society they were perceived as children with special needs. Therefore, it was believed that such joint communication is harmful to their health and development, and such children should be under constant supervision and attention from parents, guardians, and professionals. In connection with the mentioned opinion, they attempted to isolate children with disabilities from society, place them in special institutions, and teach in correctional schools. By virtue of rich global experience, this position has changed in Russia, and this category of children, now gradually transferred to ordinary schools with an inclusive component, has ample opportunities to develop both physically and psycho-emotionally, along with normally developed children. The research tasks include studying the organization of playgrounds intended for children’s recreation in such a way that all features of the psychological and physical condition of children with health limitations are fully taken into consideration. The possibility of the joint stay of children with normal development and children with health limitations within the same playground and their joint cognitive activity and various activities is also studied by means of conducting a survey. With the help of the developed questionnaires and visual material for children, a survey method is applied, implying surveying children, their parents, and guardians. The survey is conducted on the territory of children’s inclusive playgrounds in three large park areas of the city of Moscow. The survey goal is to study the psycho-emotional impact of landscape factors, urban greening, and the level of improvement, design, and construction of inclusive playground equipment on children with health limitations through outdoor games. The research results can be applied in practice in the organization and improvement of new inclusive playgrounds in city parks. Simultaneously, one should take into consideration their accessibility for people with limited mobility and the safety of structures and equipment.

Elevating Children’s Play Experience: A Design Intervention to Enhance Children’s Social Interaction in Park Playgrounds

Peer interaction through play is one approach to stimulating preschool children’s growth. The outdoor playground facilities in parks are ideal places for children to practice their social skills. This study utilized nonparticipant observation to observe and record children’s play behaviors and interactions with others to ascertain whether outdoor playground facilities favor peer interaction. We summarized the design elements of peer-interaction-promoting playground facilities to optimize the facilities by determining the types of environments and facilities that trigger peer interaction. This study discovered that children spent most of their time in solo play and the least in peer interaction. Such interaction occurred only in spaces in which children stopped briefly. After installing a new bubble machine designed to increase peer interaction, solo play behaviors and parent–child interactions became less frequent for children younger than six years old, whereas peer interaction became more frequent. During the peer interaction of children aged 3 to 6, the frequency of level one, three, and four interactions increased. They also displayed level five behaviors, which were not observed before the installation. The new facility triggered higher-level behaviors, such as cooperation and playing together, enhancing peer interaction between different age groups.

Comprehensive evaluation approach in the assessment of play value of playgrounds: case of Balçova, İzmir

ABSTRACT Urban children prefer playgrounds near home spaces due to physical and parental limitations on outdoor play. To increase the play value and use of playgrounds, it is essential to take a comprehensive design approach that considers the playground’s design and surrounding environment. Using the play value calculation tool designed by Woolley and Lowe, and making site location analyses, this study aims to evaluate the relationship between physical and environmental characteristics of playgrounds with land use decisions through an analysis of the numbers of users and play value of playgrounds in neighbourhood parks in Balçova, İzmir (Turkey).

Çocuk Oyun Alanlarındaki Gürültünün Değerlendirilmesi: Dokuma Park Örneği

The increase in the world population and rapid urbanization cause different types of pollution such as air, water, soil and noise. Today, this situation significantly affects the quality of life in densely populated settlements both in the world and in Turkey. Noise pollution, which is one of the important types of pollution, especially in urban areas, is increasing day by day due to anthropogenic effects. Studies conducted by the European Noise Directive (END) show that noise pollution is one of the important factors that cause health problems. Parks are places that allow children trapped in the structural environment in urban life to get to know nature and play games in open spaces. In particular, the children's playgrounds in the parks allow children to play and socialize in the open area and also allow parents to rest. However, park users may be exposed to noise pollution due to high-level noises originating from vehicle traffic, user density, and children's playgrounds in these places. This situation adversely affects the physical and mental health of the park users. The aim of the research is to determine the noise level in children's playgrounds in parks and to develop suggestions for reducing this noise level. As a result of the preliminary studies carried out in this context, Antalya/Kepez Dokuma Park was determined as a research area. Zones were created at certain intervals around the children's playground in the research area. And noise levels were measured on weekdays and weekends from the noise measurement points determined in these zones. The results obtained show that the noise pollution caused by the children's playgrounds in the parks and environmental factors is at a high level. In this context, landscape design and planning proposals have
 been developed to reduce noise pollution from children's playgrounds and environmental factors.

Spatial distribution, activity zone preference, and activity intensity of senior park users in a metropolitan area

Urban parks can bring multiple health benefits to seniors and thus are important to their lives. This study investigated seniors’ spatial distribution, preferred activity zones, and activity intensity during park visits. We used GPS trackers to collect spatial location information and accelerometers to record metabolic equivalent of energy (MET) at an interval of 10 s, and examined differences in activity intensity according to activity zone type. Data from 286 seniors in two large urban parks in Shanghai, China were included. We identified eight park activity zone types: pathway, paved open space, sports area, children’s playground, lawn, water, other natural area, building, and other area. Grid cells of 5 m by 5 m were created and hotspot analysis was utilized to identify the activity zones most frequently used by seniors. ANOVA post-hoc analysis was applied to investigate the variance between activity zone cells in terms of mean visit point counts, total visit point MET, and average MET. We also utilized latent class analysis to identify distinctive subgroups of seniors.The results indicate that seniors’ spatial distributions vary vastly both between and within park activity zones. Of the eight zone types, paved open space was used most frequently, and seniors were most active on pathways. Other natural area also had high usage, and featured higher average activity intensity than sports area, water, and building and other area. Children’s playground had higher average activity intensity than lawn or water. Finally, three distinctive groups of seniors were identified: short-stay active walker, long-stay light walker, and short-stay transient. These findings have direct implications for park design practice. Paved open space and pathways should be carefully designed based on the specific seniors’ activity patterns. Furthermore, seniors’ needs should be considered in the design of playgrounds in parks, where they accompany their grandchildren, and of other natural area, where they stretch their bodies and enjoy fresh air. The diverse activity patterns of the subgroups of seniors should be addressed in future studies.

The Role of Green Playground on Social Interactions of Children (Case Study: Pasdaran Park in Bandar Anzali)

Playground is effective on behavior of children; however, the severity of this effect and its variety in different playgrounds is still unclear. Identifying the playing area, reviewing local observations, evaluating interactions and their extent, and analyzing the level of communication between children can lead to correct ranking of playgrounds. Features of playground and the created space along with vegetation and plants are effective factors in attracting children and encouraging them to increase interactions. Various features of playground can determine the extent to which a child participates in social interactions. These features, along with other environmental factors, allow the development of social behaviors for children. Therefore, playgrounds must have potential facilities and capabilities for influencing children to provide high quality. This study will analyze the Pasdaran Park playground using quantitative method and distributing questionnaires. Field study is required to obtain the results. To this end, a questionnaire containing 18 questions was developed using parameters and factors previously defined and scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Fifty park visitors were questioned. According to the results, the most important factors, which can increase satisfaction and meet visitor needs include providing new access routes and improving the existing ones, increasing children interactions in green spaces, using vegetation in the environment, improving the environment according to the needs of users. The results of this study can be used as guideline for designing and developing this space and similar spaces.

Children's playgrounds contain more microplastics than other areas in urban parks

Children spend many hours in urban parks and playgrounds, where the tree canopy could filter microplastics released from the surrounding urban hotspots. However, the majority of children's playgrounds also contain plastic structures that could potentially release microplastics. To assess if the children's playgrounds pose a higher exposure risk than other places inside the park, we evaluate the extent of microplastic contamination in the sand, soil, and leaf samples from 19 playgrounds inside urban parks in Los Angeles, CA, USA. The average microplastic concentration in sand samples collected inside the playground was 72 p g−1, and >50 % of identified plastics were either polyethylene or polypropylene. Microplastic concentrations inside the playgrounds were on average >5 times greater than concentrations outside the playgrounds in the park, indicating that children playing within the playground may be exposed to more microplastics than children playing outside the playground in the same park. By comparing the microplastic composition found inside and outside the playgrounds with the plastic composition of the plastic structures in the playground, we show that plastic structures and other products used inside the playgrounds could contribute to elevated microplastic concentration. The population density was slightly correlated with a microplastic concentration in the park soil but did not correlate with microplastic concentration inside the playgrounds. Therefore, playgrounds in urban parks may have microplastic exposure risks via inhalation or ingestion via hand-to-mouth transfer.

Are There Differences in Thermal Comfort Perception of Children in Comparison to Their Caregivers’ Judgments? A Study on the Playgrounds of Parks in China’s Hot Summer and Cold Winter Region

Playgrounds in urban parks are important for children’s physical and mental health, but global warming has led to a worsening outdoor environment and children’s outdoor activities have been affected. Improving the outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) of playgrounds can encourage children to engage in more and safer outdoor activities. However, there are a limited number of studies focusing on preschoolers’ outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) and most of them have substituted children’s thermal comfort with caregivers’ evaluations. To investigate the differences between children’s and caregivers’ evaluations of thermal sensation, thermal benchmarks and thermal adaptive behavior for children, we conducted meteorological measurements on representative playgrounds in three parks in Wuhan, China, and administered thermal perception questionnaires to preschool children and their caregivers. In addition, the Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) was used to establish evaluation criteria for children’s OTC and to make recommendations for the improvement of the playground environment. We draw five conclusions by analyzing 719 valid questionnaires: (1) Children were less sensitive to changes in meteorological factors than caregivers and had better tolerance of cold environments. (2) The NPET for preschoolers was evaluated by children and by caregivers, respectively, as 22.9 °C and 22.3 °C in summer and 10.6 °C and 11.2 °C in winter. (3) Playgrounds in Wuhan’s parks are uncomfortable for a long time in summer and a short time in winter. (4) Both children and caregivers want to improve summer comfort by lowering the temperature and winter comfort by increasing solar radiation. At the same time, children and caregivers show different preferences in adaptive behavior choices. (5) Adding deciduous trees and water play facilities can improve the site thermal environment. Furthermore, the OTC of humans can be improved by adding more service facilities on playgrounds.

Te Pua Keith Park – Nau mai, Haere mai Let’s Play Together

Te Pua/Keith Park playground employed an innovative early program of co-design with an All Abilities Project Group (AAPG), representing disability organisations and key stakeholders from the community. Through ongoing engagement with disabled people as experts, the outcome was an inclusive and welcoming play space for a diverse range of children, young people and their caregivers.Play equipment included a range of vestibular, visual, and auditory pieces as well as a customised 2m high wheelchair accessible play tower for inclusive play experiences. Caregivers were enabled to play with their children through smooth and step-free surfaces as well as specific play equipment such as an adult and child swing. Children and young people of different ages and abilities were encouraged to sit/lie/stand in the basket swing and see-saw together. Unique to this playground, communication boards were innovatively and collaboratively designed with visual images representing various features of the playground and QR codes linking to online videos with New Zealand Sign Language.In addition to play equipment, the AAPG identified that the toilet facilities were crucial to ensuring accessibility to many families, including those with bigger children or teens with access needs who were often faced with the reality of needing to be changed in unsanitary and unsafe ways without the appropriate facilities being available. Keith Park worked with a leading toilet manufacturer to co-design a bespoke double toilet block with enhanced accessibility features including an adult-sized change table.Every aspect of the park was carefully selected and designed including fencing, furniture, plants and colours. Colour enhanced accessibility by guiding children with low vision and created a play circuit to assist the neurodiverse community. The resultant playground is one that welcomes all to play, which is a core tenet of child development, socialisation and participation.
 
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Children as decision makers: the Hayman Park community project in Aotearoa New Zealand

Introduction: Our study explores the efficacy of community consultation in redesigning the Hayman Park playground from a community perspective. Hayman Park is located in Manukau City centre in the south of New Zealand’s capital city, Auckland. It has a mixed community of Pasifika, Māori and other ethnic groups with a younger demographic than the average.
 Methods: We used a qualitative approach to examine participants’ perceptions. Of the 27 adults (N = 27) who participated, three (n = 3) were available for one-on-one, face-to-face interviews post project. Two transcripts recorded during focus group activities involving 27 children (N = 27) were also analysed. We found that six (n = 6) children expressed opinions during their involvement. Their views, alongside those of adults, were parsed into emergent categories and themes.
 Results and Discussion: We identified three themes: health and well-being; community and individual needs; and the effectiveness of community partnership. Responses from both adults and children indicated that participants felt they had achieved better health and well-being. Feedback showed significant gains in knowledge and awareness. However, participants wanted a deeper relationship with project leaders.
 Conclusion: We conclude that the Hayman Park project is a good example of how involving local communities in designing the spaces they live in can engender positive outcomes. However, the project did not fulfil participants’ desire for more meaningful engagement with the leading stakeholders.

Research on the Mechanism of Public Participation in the Planning and Design of Urban Park Playground

Over the recent years, citizens in Taiwan have proposed increasingly stringent demands and standards for urban park playgrounds. Thus, this study aimed to explore and discuss mechanisms for public participation in its planning and design procedures. Furthermore, this study proposed suggestions on mechanisms for public participation in the planning and design process by analyzing public recognition in each of the four phases of public participation. Moreover, questionnaires were distributed to experts and interviews were conducted among park users to gather the appropriate data. The research result showed that participatory design could effectively improve public recognition toward urban park playgrounds and earn confidence among citizens. However, it is noteworthy that the public favors social media communications over traditional forms. On the other hand, the public shows disapproval of a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Finally, the proposed suggestions and recommendations of this study are formulated based on the research findings

Ecological risk evaluation and source apportionment of heavy metals in park playgrounds: a case study in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, a northwest city of China.

Park playgrounds recently are suffering serious heavy metals contamination in China. It is urgent to assess the ecological risk and identify the sources for heavy metals. A total of 111 topsoil samples were collected from four park playgrounds in Xi'an, and the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrument was used to measure the concentrations of heavy metals including chromium(Cr), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), and cobalt (Co), respectively. Ecological risk ([Formula: see text]) and potential ecological risk index (RI) were introduced to determine the pollution level and ecological risk, and the absolute principal component score-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) model was implemented to identify the sources for heavy metals. The main results were as follows. (1) ExceptAs, the mean concentrations of measured heavy metals of four park playgroundssurpassed the soil background values of Shaanxi Province. (2) In each park playground, the [Formula: see text] was below a "low" risk level ([Formula: see text]=10) for Cr, Ni, Zn, As, and Mn; Cu was between a "moderate" and "considerable" risk level; Pb was between a "low" and "moderate" risk level; and [Formula: see text] was between a "considerable" and "high" risk level for Co. Besides, the RI index was on a "high" risk level (120 < RI < 240) with an obvious spatial distinction. (3) The anthropogenic factors were the main sources for heavy metals, and mixed sources and natural sources were considered as the minor sources for metals. (4) The sources contributions for Co had obvious spatial heterogeneity in each park situated in four different urban planning districts.

Evaluation of children's playgrounds in parks in terms of user opinions: The case of Sivas city

Although most of the urban settlements in developed countries have parks and gardens available to local people, children spend more time with virtual games rather than active games. It is considered that the current understanding of the playground design does not respond to the needs of children and does not contribute to the continuity of play activities. Similarly, in our country, the majority of children spend time with electronic games instead of playing games in children's playgrounds in parks. This has a significant impact on both physical and mental development of children. To ensure that children spend more time in the playgrounds in the parks, the parks need to be developed and improved in line with the needs and desires of the children and their families. The aim of the study is to determine the factors that affect the use of children playgrounds in the parks located in Sivas, user requests and user opinions about the current situation. In this context, data obtained from interviews with randomly selected park users on a voluntary basis in five different parks located in different parts of the city were analyzed in SPSS program. As a result, the participants stated that the children's playgrounds in the parks in the city are not safe enough. In addition, the participants stated that they want to be designed contemporary playgrounds in the parks and that their children should play in these fields.&#x0D; ​Extended English summary is in the end of Full Text PDF (TURKISH) file.&#x0D; &#x0D; Özet&#x0D; Gelişmiş ülkelerdeki kentsel yerleşim alanlarının çoğunda halkın kullanabileceği park ve bahçeler olmasına rağmen çocuklar aktif oyunlar yerine sanal oyunlar ile daha fazla zaman geçirmektedir. Bunun başlıca sebepleri arasında, mevcuttaki çocuk oyun alanı tasarım anlayışının çocukların oyun ihtiyaçlarına cevap vermediği ve oyun faaliyetlerinin sürekliliğine katkıda bulunmadığı düşünülmektedir. Benzer şekilde ülkemizde de çocukların büyük çoğunluğu parklardaki çocuk oyun alanlarında oyun oynamak yerine elektronik ortamdaki sanal oyunlar ile vakit geçirmektedir. Bu durum ise çocukların gerek fiziksel ve ruhsal gerekse de zihinsel gelişimleri üzerinde önemli bir etkiye sahiptir. Çocukların parklardaki çocuk oyun alanlarında daha fazla zaman geçirmelerini sağlamak için parkların, çocukların ve ailelerinin ihtiyaçları ve istekleri doğrultusunda geliştirilmesi ve iyileştirilmesi gerekmektedir. Araştırmanın amacı, Sivas kentinde yer alan parklardaki çocuk oyun alanlarının kullanımını etkileyen faktörlerin, kullanıcı isteklerinin ve mevcut duruma yönelik kullanıcı görüşlerinin belirlenmesidir. Bu kapsamda kentin farklı bölgelerinde yer alan beş farklı parkta, gönüllük esasına dayalı ve tesadüfi olarak seçilen park kullanıcılarıyla gerçekleştirilen görüşmelerden elde edilen veriler SPSS programında analiz edilmiştir. Sonuç olarak katılımcılar, kentteki parklarda yer alan çocuk oyun alanlarının yeterince güvenli olmadığını ifade etmişlerdir. Ayrıca katılımcılar parklarda çağdaş çocuk oyun alanlarının tasarlanmasını ve çocuklarının bu alanlarda oyun oynamasını istediklerini belirtmişlerdir.

Awareness, Support, and Perceived Impact of the Connecticut Pesticide Ban

Concern over the use of pesticides in public areas, such as schools, daycare centers, and parks, has prompted some state and local governments to severely restrict or ban pesticides in these locations. Connecticut currently has bans for daycare centers, school grounds with kindergarten through eighth grade classes, and playgrounds in municipal parks. This study was designed to understand general public awareness of these bans and the public sentiment for these additional bans. An online survey was conducted in late 2016 asking Connecticut residents about their levels of awareness of the current pesticide bans, and whether they supported the current ban or would support additional bans. Demographics and other individual characteristics/perceptions are used to explain whether a respondent knows there is a pesticide ban and if the respondent thinks there should be a pesticide ban. Only 7% of the respondents could correctly identify where pesticide bans are currently in place, with most respondents being unsure (74%) if a ban was, in fact, in place. No respondents correctly identified the location of the ban without also identifying an incorrect location as well. A large percentage of respondents indicated the state should have a pesticide ban, with those respondents supporting a ban across all locations listed. Pesticide bans on school grounds and athletic fields from kindergarten to 12th grade were strongly supported, with scores ranging from 85.9 to 86.6 on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing extreme support for pesticide bans. The results indicate that general awareness of the current pesticide ban, as well as knowledge of where current bans are in place, is low. Most respondents support a statewide ban that exceeds current Connecticut law.

Role of cat and dog faeces in the contamination of sand playgrounds in public parks by Toxocara spp.

Toxocariasis is one of the most important parasitic zoonoses affecting human health. The main source of toxocariasis in humans is dog and cat faeces, which are primarily responsible for the contamination of urban areas with Toxocara spp. eggs. In this study, the relationship between dog or/and cat faeces and contamination of sand playgrounds in public parks with Toxocara spp. eggs was investigated. A total of 596 sand and 276 faecal samples (148 dog and 128 cat faeces samples) were collected from 52 public parks in Samsun. Toxocara spp. eggs were identified in 7% of sand samples, 33% of cat faeces samples and 9.5% and dog faeces samples. A positive correlation was found between the presence of faeces and the contamination of sand samples. The incidence of sand contamination was increased 8.3 times if a park contained dog or/and cat faeces, and the incidence was much greater if the faeces were infected with Toxocara spp. ova. Cat faeces had a greater effect on the contamination of sand than did dog faeces. The risk was 12.5 and 27 times greater if a park contained only cat faeces and infected cat faeces, respectively. However, no Toxocara spp. eggs were found in sand samples from parks that contained only dog faeces.

Occurrence of geohelminths in the soil of children's playgrounds and green areas in the city of Wrocław, Poland.

Pets, strays, and wild animals that excrete dispersal forms of parasites into the soil may be a threat in urban areas. The aim of the study was to determine the level of contamination with geohelminth eggs in community playgrounds (fenced and unfenced), playgrounds in city parks, and a transect found along the banks of the River Oder. In 74 out of 424 examined soil samples, the presence of geohelminths was confirmed (Toxocara spp., Ancylostomatidae and Trichuris spp.). The highest prevalence was noted for Toxocara spp. roundworms. Both total and mean number of eggs in the examined samples, as well as the general prevalence, proved to be diversified in almost all types of development that were compared. Areas near the river emerged as places most exposed to the appearance of geohelminth eggs; playgrounds in city parks were less likely sites; community playgrounds in the city centre were the least common places.

Exploration of Natural Playgrounds in Urban Parks: Promoting Children’s Health

Children’s health includes physiological, psychological, cognitive, behavioral and other aspects of health. Playing in nature has been demonstrated to have irreplaceable benefits for children’s health. However, the urban built-up environment devours the natural play space and aggravates children’s problems. Since the 1990s, people have gradually realized the importance of nature and play, thus began to explore the natural children’s playground. The COVID-19 pandemic also makes people pay greater attention to the natural and healthy living environment. The urban park is an important place for children to play freely. It is of great significance to explore the natural design of its playground. Starting from the connotation and function of nature, games and playgrounds, this paper analyzes children’s preference for playgrounds. In addition, combined with the previous researches, five thoughts on the planning and design of natural playgrounds in urban parks are summarized: (1) The natural environment should be accessible and approachable; (2) The original natural objects and the natural products are suitable to coexist; (3) The undulating terrain can be combined with the flat grassland; (4) The dynamic and diversity of natural elements is very important; (5) The balance between safety and adventure is also needed. Finally, it is proposed that children’s choice priority and use characteristics of various play elements can be further studied to guide planning and design more accurately.

Prevalence of Toxocara spp. Eggs in Soil Samples of Public Parks of Ilam City, Iran

Introduction: Toxocariasis, also known as Visceral Larva Migrans (VLM) syndrome, is a parasitic disease caused by the ascaris larva migrans of dogs and cats, especially Toxocaracanis. The eggs of this parasite enter the human body through contaminated food, water, and soil. Aim: To determine the prevalence of Toxocara spp. eggs in the soil of public parks in Ilam city, Iran. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 40 soil samples (100 grams per sample from the depth of 3 to 5 cm) were randomly collected from 10 public parks of Ilam city in the summer season of 2018. After washing, grinding, and separating large particles from the samples, parasitic eggs were isolated using 150-micron filters and sucrose flotation method. The data was analysed using SPSS 20 software. Results: Five of ten parks (50) were contaminated with Toxocara spp. eggs. From 40 soil samples collected from the public parks, 16 (40) were contaminated with Toxocara spp. eggs. Most of the contaminated samples were collected from walking and flowering areas in all the parks. Microscopic studies showed an average of 1-4 Toxocara spp. eggs per microscopic field in each sample indicating 4 to16 eggs per 100 grams of soil in each contaminated park. Conclusion: Due to the high level of contamination with Toxocara spp, eggs in Ilam city parks, it is necessary to prevent dogs and cats from entering to lawns and playgrounds in public parks by fencing.

Screening of Zoonotic Parasites in Playground Sandboxes of Public Parks from Subtropical Mexico.

The pathological agents Toxoplasma gondii, Ancylostoma caninum, and Toxocara canis are widely distributed zoonotic parasites with high prevalence in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The aim of the present study was to determine the presence of DNA from these parasites in sand samples from the sand playgrounds in the southeastern region of Mexico. Samples of sand were collected from 68 playgrounds in public parks in the city of Merida, Yucatan, which is the main urban area in the southeast of Mexico. The samples were examined using nested PCR to detect the SAG1 gene from Toxoplasma gondii, and endpoint PCR for the amplification of ITS-2 and rRNA-ITS2 genes from Toxocara canis and Ancylostoma caninum, respectively. The presence of T. gondii DNA was detected in 11.8% (8/68) samples, DNA from A. caninum and T. canis was not detected. Results indicate that playgrounds from the studied sandboxes are contaminated with T. gondii oocysts and may represent a risk of infection for people in contact with the sand, especially for preschoolers.