HOW IS THE INFECTION CAUGHT – CAN RUBBING THE EYE AFTER TOUCHING FAECES CAUSE IT?
You can get the disease by actually ingesting, or swallowing, eggs from faeces, but the most common cause is through eating unwashed vegetables from contaminated soil. Rubbing the eye, although unpleasant, will have no effect whatsoever. Freshly deposited faeces pose no threat, the eggs only become infective after approximately three weeks, and hence if mess is cleared immediately there is no danger. WHY ARE CHILDREN MORE AT RISK THAN ADULTS? Children, especially toddlers, crawl on grass in gardens and parks. They may pick up Toxocara canis eggs on their hands (and many other nasty things too!) and then put fingers into mouths. Some children actually like to eat soil. With proper cleaning up after dogs and other measures such as keeping children’s sandpits covered when not in use the risk would be even less. It is important that children should be taught to wash their hands regularly, after playing with animals, and always before eating. HOW OFTEN SHOULD DOGS BE WORMED? Worms are prese
