Parasitological survey of Toxocara canis and Ancylostoma caninum in Puno urban parks (3825 m): Evidence of larval development under Andean conditions.

BACKGROUND

Toxocara canis and Ancylostoma caninum are soil-transmitted helminths of public health concern, particularly in urban areas contaminated with canine feces. Their presence in Peru's high-altitude regions remains poorly documented despite zoonotic risks.

AIM: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and larval stages of T. canis and A. caninum eggs in dog feces collected from public parks in Puno during the dry season.

METHODS

A total of 300 fecal samples were randomly collected from nine parks in Puno. The samples were processed using centrifugal flotation. To evaluate differences in prevalence and larval stages among the different zones, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used. Additionally, Principal component analysis (PCA) and clustering analysis were performed to explore spatial patterns and associations among variables.

RESULTS

The highest prevalence of T. canis was recorded in the southern zone of Puno (9%), with Chanu Chanu Park standing out at 12.1% of positive samples. Ancylostoma caninum showed a very low prevalence, being detected in only two parks. The dendrograms revealed clustered spatial patterns, with a higher parasitic burden concentrated in the southern zone. PCA explained 71.6% of the variability in embryonic development, associating A. caninum eggs with semi-solid feces and T. canis eggs with hard feces.

CONCLUSION

Toxocara canis is the most common parasite. However, although rare, the presence of fully larvated A. caninum eggs signals a high risk of environmental transmission. Improved sanitation and canine deworming strategies are required in high-altitude urban settings.