Prevalence of Toxocara spp. eggs in sands of educational facilities and public playground in Seoul in 2012

Visceral larva migrans (VLM) is a clinical syndrome caused by the migration of certain larval nematodes through the tissues of an aberrant host. VLM in humans is most frequently associated with Toxocara canis, the common roundworm of dogs. To demonstrate the prevalence of Toxocara spp. eggs in public playgrounds in Seoul city, soil samples collected from April to December in 2012 were examined. Eggs of parasite were found 4 of 1,174 in soil samples from public playgrounds and educational facilities in Seoul. Of the 1,174 soil samples examined, 0.34% of samples were found th be positive ova of Toxocara canis. Soil samples in educational facilities were more contaminated (0.57%) with the eggs than those in public playground area (0%). Most Toxocara canis eggs in sands were found in the autumn.