Sessions

Urban dog parks may serve as potential sources of environmental exposure to parasitic organisms, posing health concerns for both dogs and humans. This study aimed to investigate parasitic contamination of dog park soil in Budapest and to assess changes in contamination following repeated sampling and disinfection of the investigated parks. Between October 2024 and April 2026, a total of 290 soil samples were collected from 19 dog parks in Budapest. Soil sampling was performed on three occasions during different seasons, and the investigated parks were disinfected following each sampling event. Samples were processed by sieving, sedimentation, and centrifugal flotation, followed by light microscopic examination and morphological identification of parasitic stages. In addition, 48 selected soil samples were examined by PCR for the presence of Acanthamoeba spp. Overall, 46 of 290 soil samples were positive for at least one parasitic group. Hookworm-like eggs were the most frequently detected parasitic stages, followed by Giardia cysts. Toxocara eggs, capillariid-type eggs, Cystoisospora ohioensis complex oocysts, and Neospora/Hammondia-like oocysts were detected less frequently. The proportion of positive samples decreased from 26.9% at the initial sampling in October 2024 to 11.3% in August 2025 and 2.5% in April 2026. During the final sampling period, only Giardia cysts were detected. Furthermore, Acanthamoeba DNA was identified in 24 of the 48 examined soil samples. All of them were identified as Acanthamoeba castellanii belonging to genotype T4, which has been associated with human keratitis and encephalitis. The detection of several parasitic groups in dog park soil indicates that these environments may serve as potential sources of parasitic exposure for dogs. The marked decrease in parasite-positive samples following repeated disinfection suggests that regular sanitation may contribute to reducing environmental contamination. The additional detection of Acanthamoeba, including A. castellanii genotype T4, highlights the potential One Health relevance of dog park environments.