Generic placeholder image

Infectious Disorders - Drug Targets

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 1871-5265
ISSN (Online): 2212-3989

Research Article

High Parasitic Contamination of Soil Samples in the North of Iran: A Potential Risk of Parasitic Infection for Tourists

Author(s): Beheshteh Haghparast-kenari, Tooran Nayeri, Shahabeddin Sarvi, Mohammad Taghi Rahimi, Ehsan Ahmadpour, Mehdi Sharif and Ahmad Daryani*

Volume 21, Issue 3, 2021

Published on: 02 June, 2020

Page: [439 - 444] Pages: 6

DOI: 10.2174/1871526520666200602150446

Price: $65

Abstract

Background: Soil-transmitted parasites (STPs) are significant intestinal parasites that infect humans and animals and impose considerable burdens on human society and animal husbandry industries. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the prevalence of parasitic elements of soil samples collected from the north of Iran.

Methods: A total of 256 soil samples were collected from public parks, public places, vegetable gardens, sand heaps, and shadow areas near houses in the north of Iran and examined using the sucrose flotation method.

Results: Out of 256 examined samples, 131 (51.2%) showed parasitic contamination, including larvae (43%), oocysts (14.1%), and different eggs (6.6%). According to the results, the most and least common parasites observed in the samples were larvae (43%), as well as Toxascaris leonina, and Trichuris trichiura (0.4%), respectively. Moreover, the most and least contaminated locations were sand heaps (62.5%) and shadow areas near houses (45.6%), respectively. Regarding cities, Behshahr (68.3%) and Sari (67.5%) had the highest contaminated soil samples, whereas Chalus (37.5%) showed the lowest contamination. On the other hand, rural samples showed more contamination compared to urban areas (P< 0.05).

Conclusion: The findings of the present study indicate that the overall prevalence of STPs in examined areas and highly contaminated soil samples can be considered as a potential source of human contamination particularly tourists with STPs.

Keywords: Helminthes, intestinal, protozoa, public place, Toxocara, STPs.

Graphical Abstract

[1]
de Silva, N.R.; Brooker, S.; Hotez, P.J.; Montresor, A.; Engels, D.; Savioli, L. Soil-transmitted helminth infections: updating the global picture. Trends Parasitol., 2003, 19(12), 547-551.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2003.10.002] [PMID: 14642761]
[2]
Ogbe, M.; Edet, E.; Isichel, M. Intestinal helminth infection in primary school children in areas of operation of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), Western Division in Delta State. Nigeria J Parasitol., 2002, 23(1), 3-10.
[3]
Degarege, A.; Veledar, E.; Degarege, D.; Erko, B.; Nacher, M.; Madhivanan, P. Plasmodium falciparum and soil-transmitted helminth co-infections among children in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Parasit. Vectors, 2016, 9(1), 344.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13071-016-1594-2] [PMID: 27306987]
[4]
Rakhshanpour, A.; Harandi, M.F.; Moazezi, S.; Rahimi, M.; Mohebali, M.; Mowlavi, G.; Babaei, Z.; Ariaeipour, M.; Heidari, Z.; Rokni, M. Seroprevalence of human hydatidosis using ELISA method in qom province, central iran. Iran. J. Parasitol., 2012, 7(3), 10-15.
[PMID: 23109956]
[5]
Pullan, R.L.; Smith, J.L.; Jasrasaria, R.; Brooker, S.J. Global numbers of infection and disease burden of soil transmitted helminth infections in 2010. Parasit. Vectors, 2014, 7, 37.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1756-3305-7-37] [PMID: 24447578]
[6]
Rostami, A.; Ebrahimi, M.; Mehravar, S.; Fallah Omrani, V.; Fallahi, S.; Behniafar, H. Contamination of commonly consumed raw vegetables with soil transmitted helminth eggs in Mazandaran province, northern Iran. Int. J. Food Microbiol., 2016, 225, 54-58.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2016.03.013] [PMID: 26999768]
[7]
Omrani, V.F.; Fallahi, Sh.; Rostami, A.; Siyadatpanah, A.; Barzgarpour, G.; Mehravar, S.; Memari, F.; Hajialiani, F.; Joneidi, Z. Prevalence of intestinal parasite infections and associated clinical symptoms among patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis. Infection, 2015, 43(5), 537-544.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s15010-015-0778-6] [PMID: 25869822]
[8]
Rokni, M.B. The present status of human helminthic diseases in Iran. Ann. Trop. Med. Parasitol., 2008, 102(4), 283-295.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/136485908X300805] [PMID: 18510809]
[9]
Rokni, M. Echinococcosis/hydatidosis in Iran. Iran. J. Parasitol., 2009, 4(2), 1-16.
[10]
Youssefi, M.R.; Mirshafiei, S.; Moshfegh, Z.; Soleymani, N.; Rahimi, M.T. Cystic echinococcosis is an occupational disease? J. Parasit. Dis., 2016, 40(3), 586-590.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12639-014-0543-2] [PMID: 27605752]
[11]
Ali, M.S.; Ahmad, R.; Leyla, F.; Reza, Y.M.; Taghi, R.M. A case of misdiagnose of malaria infection. Asian Pac. J. Trop. Biomed., 2013, 3(9), 748-750.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2221-1691(13)60150-1] [PMID: 23998018]
[12]
Matsuo, J.; Kimura, D.; Rai, S.K.; Uga, S. Detection of Toxoplasma oocysts from soil by modified sucrose flotation and PCR methods. Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 2004, 35(2), 270-274.
[PMID: 15691123]
[13]
Rai, S.K.; Uga, S.; Ono, K.; Rai, G.; Matsumura, T. Contamination of soil with helminth parasite eggs in Nepal. Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 2000, 31(2), 388-393.
[PMID: 11127345]
[14]
John, D.; Petri, W. Examinations of stool specimens.Medical Parasitology, 9th ed; Markell, E.K.; Voge, M., Eds.; Saunders: Missouri, 2006.
[15]
Feasey, N.; Wansbrough-Jones, M.; Mabey, D.C.; Solomon, A.W. Neglected tropical diseases. Br. Med. Bull., 2010, 93, 179-200.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/bmb/ldp046] [PMID: 20007668]
[16]
Roberts, L.S.; Schmidt, G.D.; Janovy, J. Gerald D. Schmidt & Larry S. Roberts’ foundations of parasitology, 8th ed; McGraw-Hill: New York, 2009.
[17]
Mandarino-Pereira, A.; de Souza, F.S.; Lopes, C.W.G.; Pereira, M.J.S. Prevalence of parasites in soil and dog feces according to diagnostic tests. Vet. Parasitol., 2010, 170(1-2), 176-181.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.02.007] [PMID: 20226595]
[18]
Zibaei, M.; Abdollahpour, F.; Birjandi, M.; Firoozeh, F. Soil contamination with Toxocara spp. eggs in the public parks from three areas of Khorram Abad, Iran. Nepal Med. Coll. J., 2010, 12(2), 63-65.
[PMID: 21222397]
[19]
Motazedian, H.; Mehrabani, D.; Tabatabaee, S.H.; Pakniat, A.; Tavalali, M. Prevalence of helminth ova in soil samples from public places in Shiraz. East. Mediterr. Health J., 2006, 12(5), 562-565.
[PMID: 17333794]
[20]
Maraghi, S.; Mazhab Jafari, K.; Sadjjadi, S.M.; Latifi, S.M.; Zibaei, M. Study on the contamination of Abadan public parks soil with Toxocara spp. eggs. J. Environ. Health Sci. Eng., 2014, 12, 86.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/2052-336X-12-86] [PMID: 24872887]
[21]
Tavassoli, M.; Hadian, M.; Charesaz, S.; Javadi, S. Toxocara spp. eggs in public parks of Urmia city, west Azerbaijan province Iran. Iran. J. Parasitol., 2008, 3(3), 24-29.
[22]
Habluetzel, A.; Traldi, G.; Ruggieri, S.; Attili, A.R.; Scuppa, P.; Marchetti, R.; Menghini, G.; Esposito, F. An estimation of Toxocara canis prevalence in dogs, environmental egg contamination and risk of human infection in the Marche region of Italy. Vet. Parasitol., 2003, 113(3-4), 243-252.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0304-4017(03)00082-7] [PMID: 12719139]
[23]
Daryani, A.; Sharif, M.; Nasrolahei, M.; Khalilian, A.; Mohammadi, A.; Barzegar, G. Epidemiological survey of the prevalence of intestinal parasites among schoolchildren in Sari, northern Iran. Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg., 2012, 106(8), 455-459.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.trstmh.2012.05.010] [PMID: 22703897]
[24]
Sarvi, S.; Daryani, A.; Sharif, M.; Rahimi, M.T.; Azami, D.; Marhaba, Z.; Ahmadpour, E.; Mizani, A. Domestic dog as a human health hazard in north of Iran. J. Parasit. Dis., 2016, 40(3), 930-934.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12639-014-0608-2] [PMID: 27605812]
[25]
Sharif, M.; Daryani, A.; Kia, E.; Rezaei, F.; Nasiri, M.; Nasrolahei, M. Prevalence of intestinal parasites among food handlers of Sari, Northern Iran. Rev. Inst. Med. Trop. São Paulo, 2015, 57(2), 139-144.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652015000200007] [PMID: 25923893]
[26]
Rostami, A.; Ebrahimi, M.; Mehravar, S.; Fallah Omrani, V.; Fallahi, S.; Behniafar, H. Contamination of commonly consumed raw vegetables with soil transmitted helminth eggs in Mazandaran province, northern Iran. Int. J. Food Microbiol., 2016, 225, 54-58.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2016.03.013] [PMID: 26999768]
[27]
Chiodo, P.; Basualdo, J.; Ciarmela, L.; Pezzani, B.; Apezteguía, M.; Minvielle, M. Related factors to human toxocariasis in a rural community of Argentina. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz, 2006, 101(4), 397-400.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0074-02762006000400009] [PMID: 16951810]
[28]
Talaizadeh, A.; Maraghi, S.; Jelowdar, A.; Peyvasteh, M. Human toxocariasis: a report of 3 cases. Pak. J. Med. Sci., 2007, 23(5), 782.
[29]
Daryani, A.; Hosseini-Teshnizi, S.; Hosseini, S.A.; Ahmadpour, E.; Sarvi, S.; Amouei, A.; Mizani, A.; Gholami, S.; Sharif, M. Intestinal parasitic infections in Iranian preschool and school children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Acta Trop., 2017, 169, 69-83.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.01.019] [PMID: 28130101]
[30]
Anantaphruti, M.T.; Waikagul, J.; Maipanich, W.; Nuamtanong, S.; Pubampen, S. Soil-transmitted helminthiases and health behaviors among schoolchildren and community members in a west-central border area of Thailand. Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 2004, 35(2), 260-266.
[PMID: 15691121]
[31]
Ulukanligil, M.; Seyrek, A.; Aslan, G.; Ozbilge, H.; Atay, S. Environmental pollution with soil-transmitted helminths in Sanliurfa, Turkey. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz, 2001, 96(7), 903-909.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0074-02762001000700004] [PMID: 11685253]

Rights & Permissions Print Cite
© 2024 Bentham Science Publishers | Privacy Policy