Piotr Kurnatowski

Geohelminth egg contamination of children's play areas in the city of Lodz (Poland).

The contamination of soil and sand with helminth eggs in childrens play areas in Lodz (Poland) was assessed over two seasons using the flotation method with saturated sodium nitrate solution. A total of 88 samples were examined from 7 childrens playgrounds from various public parks, 6 sandpits situated in school or kindergarten areas and 9 school sports fields. The differences in the number of positive samples from these sites were significant (χ(2)=21.83, d.f.=2 and p<0.0001). The highest rate of contamination was found in the area around sports fields. (15.7%). There was a significant difference between the frequencies of positive samples from the surface and from the deeper layers of the examined sites (χ(2)=11.41, d.f.=1, and p=0.0007). The average density of geohelminth eggs in 100g of soil or sand was 1.1 from sports fields, 0.4 from playgrounds and 0.07 from fenced sandpits. Throughout the study, 4 genera of nematode eggs (Toxocara, Uncinaria/Ancylostoma, Ascaris, Trichuris) and 1 genus (Cystoisospora spp.) of oocysts were detected. A total of 62 eggs were recovered, and 43.5% were fully developed to embryonated egg stages. The contamination rate was different in autumn 2010 and spring 2011, but there was no significant difference in the number of positive findings between these seasons. The helminth eggs were found in 10.9% and 7.6% of samples collected in the spring and in the autumn, respectively. The most frequently seen eggs were from Toxocara sp., which were the most prevalent in both seasons.

Presence of Toxocara spp. eggs in children's recreation areas with varying degrees of access for animals

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE The contamination, seasonal and vertical distributions of Toxocara eggs in childrens recreation areas were estimated with respect to their accessibility to domestic and stray animals. MATERIALS AND METHODS During autumn 2011 and spring 2012, a total 88 composite samples of soil/sand (300g each) were taken twice, from 2 depths, from 11 sandpits and 11 play areas situated in the city of Łódź, Poland. From the collected material, 528 samples (20g) were tested using the flotation method. Half the sample sites were secured from access to dogs and cats, while the other half were not. RESULTS The difference in the numbers of positive samples from sandpits and playing areas was significant (c 2 = 13.72, p = 0.0002). The highest rate of contamination was observed in poorly-secured play areas (15.8% of positive samples and 1.2 eggs/100 g of soil/sand). The average density of Toxocara eggs in secured play areas was 6 times less than that found in unsecured areas, while secured sandpits were 3 times less contaminated than those unsecured. The contamination rate was similar in autumn 2011 and spring 2012 (6.4% and 6.8%, respectively). An inverse relationship between the sand/soil depth and number of recovered Toxocara eggs was observed. Additionally, other intestinal helminth eggs (Ancylostomidae, Ascaris spp., and Trichuris spp.) and oocysts of Isospora spp. were also detected from soil samples collected from playing fields. CONCLUSIONS The number of Toxocara eggs recovered decreased following fence construction around the examined childrens play areas, but it did not sufficiently prevent the contamination by eggs. These data indicate the necessity for educational programmes which should be implemented for the protection of the local child population from zoonotic infection.

Biological interactions between soil saprotrophic fungi and Ascaris suum eggs.

The in vitro effect of saprotrophic soil fungi on the embryonic development of Ascaris suum was evaluated. The fungi tested were Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus terreus, Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium expansum, Fusarium oxysporum and Trichothecium roseum, isolated from childrens recreation areas in the city of Lodz (Poland). Each species was co-cultured with A. suum egg suspension (6 × 10(3)eggs/ml) at 25 ± 2°C for 60 days. Each day, 100 eggs were randomly collected and their developmental stage was classified macroscopically. Additionally, at days 4, 7, 14, 28, 42 and 60 of incubation, the viability and the percentage of eggs with morphological altered embryo/larva were determined in each sample. Microscopic examination revealed that exposure of eggs to the mycelium of examined fungi inhibited embryogenesis of A. suum. All control culture eggs reached L2 larval stage after 26 days of incubation, while the experimental cultures did so after 32-51 days, depending on the fungal species. Three species were found to exhibit very high inhibitory activity on A. suum egg development: A. terreus, P. expansum and F. oxysporum. Embryopathies and non-viable embryos/larvae were observed significantly more frequently in the eggs co-cultured with fungal species than in control cultures. The fungus-exposed eggs revealed morphological alternations in the early zygotic cleavage, blastula, gastrula and larval stages. After 60 days of incubation with mycelia of P. expansum, A. terreus and F. oxysporum, the mortality of the larvae reached 55.3-60.3%. P. expansum and F. oxysporum showed hyphal penetration and internal egg colonization of A. suum eggs.

Potentially pathogenic yeasts from soil of children’s recreational areas in the city of Łódź (Poland)

ObjectivesYeasts may become potential human and animal pathogens, particularly for individuals with a depressed immune system. Their presence in the environment, especially in soil, may favour their spread into human ontocenoses.Materials and MethodsEighty-four soil samples obtained from 21 children’s recreational sites in Łódź in autumn 2010 and spring 2011 were evaluated. The yeasts were isolated by classical microbiological methods and identified on the basis of morphological and biochemical features.ResultsThe fungi were found in 73.8% and in 69.0% of the examined samples collected in autumn and spring, respectively. Among 97 isolates of yeasts, the species potentially pathogenic to humans and animals were Candida colliculosa, C. guilliermondii, C. humicola, C. inconspicua, C. lambica, C. lusitaniae, C. pelliculosa, C. tropicalis, Cryptococcus albidus, C. laurentii, C. neoformans, C. terreus, Kloeckera japonica, Geotrichum candidum, G. penicillatum, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, R. glutinis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Sporobolomyces salmonicolor and Trichosporon cutaneum. The most frequently isolated fungi included the genus Cryptococcus (38 isolates) and two species: Rhodotorula glutinis (15), Trichosporon cutaneum (14). C. neoformans, an etiological factor of cryptococcal meningitis, was present in the sandpits of 3 kindergartens. The Candida species were identified from park playgrounds and school sports fields mainly in autumn 2010 (14 isolates), in spring 2011 — only 1 isolate. The concentration of fungal species in particular samples varied considerably, but in the majority of samples, fungi were present at concentration of up to 1×102 CFU/1 g of soil.ConclusionsYeasts were present in the soil of parks, schools and kindergarten recreational areas; the fact may pose a health risk to humans, especially to children, and this type of biological pollution should be regarded as a potential public health concern.

In vitro evaluation of the ovistatic and ovicidal effect of the cosmopolitan filamentous fungi isolated from soil on Ascaris suum eggs

The ovicidal activity of seven fungal strains: Acremonium alabamense, Alternaria chlamydospora, Cladosporium herbarum, Fusarium solani, Paecilomyces variotii, Paecilomyces viridis and Penicillium verruculosum isolated from urban soil samples from Poland was determined in vitro. The fungal mycelium was co-cultured with Ascaris suum eggs on plates with 2% water-agar for 28 days. Eggs exposed and unexposed (control) to fungal mycelium were observed weekly by light microscopy and the percentage of malformed eggs were determined. The eggs were classified according to following parameters: type 1 - biochemical and physiological effect without morphological damage to the eggshell; type 2 - lytic effect with morphological alteration of the eggshell and embryo; type 3 - lytic effect with morphological alteration of eggshell and embryo with hyphal penetration and internal egg colonization. All examined species of fungi extended embryogenesis, but the retardation of embryonic development was varied and depended on the species. A. alabamense, A. chlamydospora and P. verruculosum exhibited very high inhibitory activity on A. suum egg development. The fungus-exposed eggs revealed morphological alternations in all stages of embryogenesis. Isolates of F. solani, P. variotii and P. viridis showed hyphal penetration and internal colonization of A. suum eggs (type 3 effect). No appressoria were produced and simple hyphal penetrations were most commonly observed. A. alabamense and P. verruculosum demonstrated morphological destruction, with eggshell destruction. The remaining fungi showed type 1 effect. The results demonstrated that examined strains of F. solani, P. variotii and P. viridis may be considered to be potential limiting factors of parasitic geohelminth populations.

Knowledge on Lyme disease among foresters.

ObjectivesThe first aim was an attempt to evaluate the level of knowledge on Lyme disease among people whose profession involves working in the forest; the second — recognition of the health problems that should be included in health education programmes concerning Lyme disease in this group of professionals.Materials and MethodsThe study was performed on 159 subjects.ResultsOnly 15% know the etiological factor of disease, 98% — the main cause of infection, and route of pathogen transmission.ConclusionPropagation of knowledge on Lyme disease, particularly among risk group people, is not satisfactory. Little knowledge on tick risk among secondary school students indicate the necessity for cooperation between teachers, epidemiologists, and health service providers in order to propagate the knowledge on parasites, symptoms, spread and methods of prevention.

Lesions of Vestibular Organs in Opioid Addicts: Results of the Tests Recorded by Electronystagmography

The aim of this study was to examine the state of the vestibular organs of opioid addicts during a period of abstinence. Sixty-two addicts and 50 healthy people were subjected to otoneurological exami