PARK ENTRANCES AND playgrounds in Dublin have been identified as a hotspot for a parasite found in dog poo, new research has shown. 

Zoologists at Trinity College Dublin sampled soil from twelve parks in the capital in order to measure the number of roundworm eggs found there. 

They took the soil samples from park entrances, playgrounds, playing field sidelines and areas where people were observed sitting on the grass between May 2021 to July 2022.

According to their findings, the eggs were found in 75%, or nine of the twelve parks that were sampled.

Most of the eggs were found at park entrances, with playgrounds the next most-common hotspot. All but one of the playgrounds included in the study was surrounded by a fence, while most of them also had signage indicating that dogs were not allowed there.

Some 93% of the eggs recovered were potentially infective, and most were identified as having come from dogs rather than cats. 

The roundworms of dogs (Toxocara canis) and cats (Toxocara cati) can infect humans and cause diseases which are difficult to diagnose. 

While most people do not become ill after coming in to contact with them, the worms can spread to parts of the body such as the liver, lungs or eyes, where they can occasionally cause serious problems like difficulty breathing or loss of vision. Other research has also linked asthma, epilepsy and cognitive decline to this parasite.

Dr Jason Keegan, from Trinity’s School of Natural Sciences, who co-authored the research article, said that Toxocara is one of the most common parasitic infections around the world.

“While there are many potential routes of infection, it is widely believed that the most common one for people is coming into contact with soil containing infective eggs and then accidentally ingesting them,” he said. 

Intervention efforts

Dog poo on footpaths is a widespread problem in the capital, particularly in suburban areas. It has been highlighted by the National Council for the Blind of Ireland as a “huge problem” nationally for people who are blind or vision impaired, and also poses a particular difficulty for people with prams, who find it harder to avoid.

Last August, Vision Ireland found that the number of fines issued for dog fouling in 2023 had more than halved, while just eight fines were issued by Dublin City Council between 2019 and 2023. 

The research states that interventions designed to reduce dog fouling and prevent egg excretion through regular deworming of pet dogs and cats are needed, particularly around park entrances. 

“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,” Keegan said. 

He said that many dog-fouling reduction interventions are currently not assessed for how effective they are after they are implemented, stating that it’s “imperative that such an assessment is built into any plan in the future”. 

“Of the assessments that have been completed, we know posters made by schoolchildren can be useful, perhaps underlining that involving the local communities most impacted by dog faeces in their recreational areas could be an opportunity worth exploring.”

The research was funded by Research Ireland and can be read in the journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.