Testing sand from selected playgrounds in Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland for eggs of nematodes at the time of massive migration of people from Ukraine to these countries – a pilot study

Abstract Nematodes are invertebrates that inhabit the water and soil environment. Numerous nematodes are parasites of plants, animals and humans, especially children. Among the parasitic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, diseases caused by nematodes are very common: eneterobiasis, ascariasis, and toxocarosis. From February 2022, we observe an intensive migration of people from Ukraine to the European Union countries: mainly to Poland (4.5 million) and to a lesser extent to Slovakia, Hungary and Romania. They are mostly women with children. In places where they find shelter, they try to provide children with the best possible conditions for their development. Hence the authors’ interest in hygienic conditions in the playgrounds of the European Union countries bordering Ukraine. The aim of the study was to examine samples from selected playgrounds in Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland for eggs of nematodes Ascaris lumbricoides, Toxocara sp., and Trichuris trichiura. Twenty samples of sand and soil obtained from 4 playgrounds in Craiova (Romania), Miskolc (Hungary), Košice (Slovakia) and Lublin (Poland). In order to detect the presence of Toxocara canis/cati, Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichiuris trichiura eggs, a modified flotation method was used. No eggs of parasites were found in the examined sand samples. The pilot study suggests that refugees can safely play in the playgrounds in Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.