Dissemination of helminth eggs in the environmental objects (soil and water) in the territory of the Siversky Donets terraces

Abstract

The purpose of the work is to determine the species composition and distribution of helminth eggs in the environment of the Siversky Donets terraces territory. Materials and methods. The soil samples of the terraces (I – up to3 meters above the floodplain level, II – up to100 meters above the floodplain level, III –150 meters above the floodplain level) and the Siversky Donets floodplains, farmlands and children's playgrounds were examined. Helminth eggs were identified by the method of Romanenko, Padchenko. Helminth larvae in soil were defined according to the Berman method. The presence of helminth eggs in water was detected according to the Vasil’kov method. Helminth eggs and larvae were identified by microscopical method. Results. 11 species of parasitic helminths have been identified. The eggs of Toxocara canis, Toxocara mystax and Ascaris lumbricoides were most frequently identified and found both in water and soil. The water environment was also contaminated with eggs of Diphyllobothrium latum. The eggs of Trichocephalus trichiurus and Enterobius vermicularis were detected frequently enough, mainly in the water environment, though in insignificant amounts. The parasite diversity and their number decreased with the height increase from the riverbed to the third terrace. On the third terrace only Toxocara eggs were identified, but more than their number on the first terrace. Conclusions. The types of biohelminths (6 from 11) predominate among the detected helminths, but the quantitative prevalence of geohelminths could be linked to their simpler life cycle and greater speed of transmission. The Sіversky Donets water is the most contaminated, that could be explained by washing the eggs away from the terraces. The soil samples of children’s playgrounds are the cleanest (there are only Toksokara eggs, which are spread by animals).

Keywords

• helminths
• environment
• biological assay
• water
• soil