The purpose of this paper is to present the current data on the risk of infection of zoonotic geohelminths, i.e. intestinal nematodes, which are spread by infective stages present in the soil. In Poland, due to a small number of human intestinal helminth infections (ascarids, whipworms) reported in recent years attention has been paid to the risk of zoonotic geohelminths. Among the most important zoonotic parasites are roundworms (dog and cat ascarids), the eggs of which are most often extracted from the soil and sand, in both urban and rural settlements. The cause of environmental contamination with geohelminth eggs are pet animals that have not been dewormed, in particular freely roaming cats. The importance of foxes in spreading T. canis eggs must also not be overlooked. The accumulation of infective eggs in the environment poses a high risk of infection especially for children, with the possibility of developing clinical toxocariasis. Taking into account the lack of basic knowledge about the risk of zoonotic parasitic infections among pet owners and parents, educational campaigns are still needed, which should be carried out jointly by veterinary and medical authorities. In these activities the importance of preventive measures undertaken to avoid initial environmental contamination should be stressed; i.e. pets’ deworming, cleaning up of feces by dog owners, restricting access of animals to play areas for children.
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