Soil Contamination With Intestinal Helminthic Parasites in Children’s Play Areas in Soran City, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Parasitic diseases caused by soil-transmitted
helminths are significant diseases of humans and livestock, that
only about the human population, affect about one third of the
world’s people.These parasites passing some parts of their life
cycle in the soil and then transfer from soil to new host. The
primary goal of current study was to determine the rate of soil
contamination by intestinal helminthic parasites in soil samples
ghatered from children play areas in Soran city and suburbs. Sixty
soil samples were collected randomly and examined by floatation
technique. By applying NaNO3 solution, helminth forms were
found in (40%) of urban samples while (33.3%) of them were
positive by using sugar solution. Flotation by NaNO3 solution and
sugar solution showed that (73.3%) and (53.3%) of rural samples
were contaminated respectively. The predominant parasite species
detected in the examined soil samples were Taenia spp. and
Ascaris spp. This study demonstrated high level of soil
contamination in both urban and rural play areas thus there is a
serious threat and risk for acquiring helminth infection for
children who use these areas.