Parks and playgrounds 'hotspots' for parasite found in dog poop, Irish research finds

Zoologists at Trinity College Dublin analysed soil in 12 Dublin parks, finding roundworm eggs in 75% of the parks.

“Park entrances were the locations most heavily contaminated by toxocara eggs in the parks of Dublin City,” the study said. Playgrounds were the second most contaminated area.

The researchers said they saw puppies playing in fenced-off playgrounds, despite signs indicating dogs were barred from the area.

“Molecular characterisation of the eggs found within the playgrounds indicated that dogs were most likely responsible for this contamination,” the study indicated.

First author Jason Keegan, from Trinity’s School of Natural Sciences, said toxocara is one of the most common parasitic infections.

Intervention efforts

“This new research specifically pinpoints the hotspots in Dublin’s public parks where egg counts are highest in soil samples, and that tells us where we need to target our intervention efforts,” he said.

By providing more signage, bins, and a means to clean up after dogs in these locations, we could reduce the level of contamination — and that’s the next step in the research

However the study’s findings indicate people do not pay attention to signs in playgrounds, and it suggests exploring other methods.

Mr Keegan said many projects on reducing dog fouling are not assessed.

“It’s imperative that such an assessment is built into any plan in the future,” he said.

Mr Keegan called for local communities most affected by dog fouling to be involved, saying posters made by schoolchildren have been assessed as effective for example.

The study also indicated contamination levels were lower than identified by studies carried out in the 1990s, also in Dublin. They linked this to Ireland having fewer stray dogs now than before. The research was funded by Research Ireland.

The study,  Park entrances, commonly contaminated with infective Toxocara canis eggs, present a risk of zoonotic infection and an opportunity for focused intervention, can be read in the journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.