IMPORTANCE OF ASCARIDIOSIS CONCERNING HUMAN AND ANIMAL HEALTH, PRESENT CONDITION AND SOLUTION PROPOSALS IN TURKEY AND THE WORLD

Abstract

Toxocariasis is a zoonotic parasitic infection, affecting millions of people and animals, commonly occurred, in the world. According to the seroprevalence studies, it is seen that exposure to this parasite is highly common in children living in temperate zones in the world. The geographic distribution of Toxocara canis is continuously expanded as a result of human and animal movements with global warming. Uncontrolled increase of human and animal populations in urban areas raises the importance of toxocariasis. Owned and unowned cats and dogs not administered treatment and wild animals create infection source for humans and other paratenic hosts by causing environmental contamination with eggs. Paratenic hosts like rodents, birds, and invertebrate animals play an important role in the spreading of the ascarid eggs. Infection in humans occurs in the result of consumption of larvae in the tissues of paratenic hosts (chicken, rabbit, pig and ruminants), drinking of dirty water, and close contact with contaminated soil and pet animals. Depending on these conditions stated, in the context of this review, concise knowledge was presented about the prevalence data in humans and animals of ascaridiosis in Turkey and the world, diagnosis, treatment and prevention measures.