This study aims to evaluate soil contamination by Toxocara spp. eggs in public parks in Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil. Soil samples (500 g) were collected every month over a 12-month period, from 25 parks in different parts of the city (northern, southern, eastern, western and central areas). Two 10-g aliquots of the material collected from each park were subjected to the centrifuge-flotation method to recover Toxocara spp. eggs. Twenty-four out of the 25 squares studied (96.0%) were contaminated and the number of eggs recovered ranged from 1 to 398 per sample. Eggs were recovered all over the year. Despite the number being greater in autumn (p < 0.001), there was no correlation between number egg number and average monthly temperature (r = -0.492; p = 0.148) or between egg number and monthly rainfall (r = -0.299; p = 0.402). Park localization does not influence egg presence (p = 0.7116). Because of the high level of contamination of the parks by Toxocara spp. eggs, prevention of contamination of public areas by larva migrans agents is indicated.
Environment contamination; epidemiology; toxocariasis; larva migrans
