Frequency of eosinophilia and risk factors and their association with Toxocara infection in schoolchildren during a health survey in the north of Lima, Peru

Abstract

SUMMARYDuring a health survey in a primary school from the district of Carabayllo (North of Lima, Peru), 200 schoolchildren (96 male and 104 female between five to 12 years old) were randomly selected and divided in two groups (as positive or negative group), according to the serologic result of the Toxocara ELISA test from a total population of 646 schoolchildren. All children were analyzed by hematologic tests to determinate the frequency of eosinophilia and leukocytosis. Additionally, all clinical and epidemiological data were also analyzed to determine their association with toxocariasis. From group of children with positive serology, 40% had some type of eosinophilia in contrast to 19% of children with negative serology, and their association was statistically significant (OR = 2.84, p < 0.001). From all signs and symptoms evaluated, only 'dry cough' was more frequent and statistically significant in the positive serology group (OR = 2.79, p < 0.001). Almost all risk factors evaluated were highly frequent and statistically associated to the positive serology. In conclusion, the presence of eosinophilia and the risk factors evaluated in this population were frequently associated to human toxocariasis.

Human toxocariasis: a seroepidemiological survey in the Amazonian city of Yurimaguas, Peru

“…This value is among the values of frequency previously found in other places from our country [7][8][9]30,31 and relatively similar with other studies from other Latin American countries 2,3,21,27 .…”

“…In Peru, a few reports have informed of frequencies from 7.8% to 44.92% in rural populations from different places [7][8][9]19,30,31 . However, seroepidemiological studies about human toxocariasis in Peruvian Amazonian populations have not been reported.…”

Toxocariasis in children attending a Public Health Service Pneumology Unit in Paraná State, Brazil

“…IgG antibodies. Peripheral eosinophilia is not always specific to toxocariasis, but it has been frequently associated to human toxocariasis, especially in young children who seem to have a more symptomatic course of the disease 16,21 . The increase of IL5, resulting from a dominant type of Th2 response, leads to eosinophilia in Toxocara infections 20,22 .…”

“…PINELLI and ARAZEMENDI 20 also established that blood eosinophils were significantly higher in the Toxocara-seropositive than in the seronegative group. Thus, serodiagnostic tests for toxocariasis should be included in the differential diagnosis of eosinophilia, especially in children and in adults with mild eosinophilia 10,11,21 .…”

“…Eosinophilia was considered when the number of eosinophils was ≥ 500 cells/µL and classified as: normal (< 6%), mild (6-10%), moderate (11-15%) and severe (> 15%) eosinophilia 21 .…”