Human and dogs Toxocara canis infection in a poor neighborhood in Bogota

Abstract

Prevalence of Toxocara canis antibodies was studied in a poor community of Bogotá, Colombia. Two-hundred-seven patients, from both sexes and all age groups, were studied. Positive ELISA titers were found in 47.5% of the population, a high prevalence compared with reports from developed countries. T. canis ova were positive in 43.6% of fecal samples from dog puppies. An endemic pattern of the disease is described: socioeconomic status, weather, pollution, poor hygiene and a significant population of infected dogs. Neither the physical examination nor ELISA titers could detect any case of T. canis disease.

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

“…On the other hand, the use of public parks or places by those people were highly associated with the positive serology (p < 0.001), suggesting that Toxocara eggs might be present in those places and to be a main source for infection in this population. Canine feces are frequent in public places and playgrounds in other countries, as reported by other authors around the world 1,5,15,22,24,33 . Although limited studies about soil contamination with Toxocara eggs in Peru have revealed a frequency ranging from 30% to 80% 19 .…”

Human toxocarosis. Its seroprevalence in the City of La Plata

“…Some nematode parasites of animals can infect noncompatible hosts such as humans (Agudelo et al 1990, Bouchard et al 1994, Buijs et al 1994, Gueglio et al 1994) and remain in their organisms as migrating larvae arrested in their development but metabolically active (Pezzani et al 1993), eliciting mechanical damages that are exacerbated by the host's immune response (Agudelo et al 1990, Hirata et al 1990). …”

“…canis is very common in dogs throughout the world (Agudelo et al 1990). It is the primary cause of VLM in humans (Sánchez et al 1994).…”

“…It is the primary cause of VLM in humans (Sánchez et al 1994). Toxocarosis is a systemic larval parasitosis that may affect humans of different age or sex (Beaver 1956, Agudelo et al 1990, Gueglio et al 1994. It may appear in the following forms: (i) ocular larva migrans (OLM), always with serious lesions that can produce leukocoria, uveitis, retinal granulomas or chronic endophthalmitis, very often with a decrease of the visual acuity and strabismus (Beaver 1956, Villano et al 1992, Kujat et al 1993, Minvielle et al 1993, Sharkey & Mc Kay 1993; (ii) VLM associated with different clinical manifestations: hepatitis (Minvielle et al 1993), diffuse pulmonary involvement (Hotez 1993), severe asthma (Glickman & Magnaval 1993), severe eosinophilic pneumonia (Hirata et al 1990), cutaneous disorders (Kasacos & Boyce 1990, España et al 1993), myocardial (Kujat et al 1993) and gastroenteric affections (Jansen et al 1993) as well as those of the central nervous system (Beaver 1956, Khalil et al 1971, Woodruff 1975, Sellal et al 1992, Glickman & Magnaval 1993, Stenfancikova et al 1993, Kumar & Kimm 1994 usually accompanied by persistent eosinophilic increase ranging from moderate to severe; (iii) covert toxocarosis with nonspecific symptomatology: hepatomegaly, abdominal pain, sleep disturbances, headache (Agudelo et al 1990) and associated with normal or slightly increased eosinophilia.…”

“…Contamination levels are variable in different regions of the world (Martínez et al 1973, Esterre & Agis 1985, Venturini & Radman 1988, Stenfancikova et al 1993, Bouchard et al 1994, Papini & Casarosa 1994. Nevertheless, infection of humans is also possible due to the ingestion of tissues of other paratenic hosts like birds, rabbits, pigs and cattle infected with T. canis larvae (Agudelo et al 1990, Kasacos & Boyce 1990.…”