Prevalence of Toxocara species infection in the U.S.: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011-2014

Abstract

Toxocariasis is one of the most common neglected infections of poverty in the U.S. with a reported National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III (1988–1994) seroprevalence of 13.9% based on enzyme immunoassay testing. We reviewed NHANES data from 2011–2014 to assess current levels. Sera collected from NHANES 2011–2014 participants six years and older were tested for exposure using rTc-CTL-1 antigen, a more sensitive and specific recombinant antigen for IgG antibodies for Toxocara spp. These results were subdivided into children (age 6–17) and adults (age ≥ 18) and then compared between various sociodemographic characteristics. Given prior associations of Toxocara exposure with atopic disease and lead exposure, we also reviewed laboratory values including complete blood counts and blood and urine lead levels. Data from 13,509 individuals with Toxocara antibody results were examined including 3337 children (15.2%) and 10172 adults (84.8%). Overall seroprevalence was 5.1%. In adults increased antibody positivity occurred with non-White ethnicity, male gender, less than college-level education and lower income. Among children, increased antibody positivity was solely related to a lack of health insurance. Additionally, seropositivity was associated with increased blood lead and eosinophil levels in adults and both blood and urine lead levels in children. Relative to NHANES III (1988–1994), current data suggest an overall decrease in Toxocara spp. seroprevalence from 13.9% to 5.1%, however this may be artificially lowered due to difference in testing methods used. Persistent disparities appear to be associated with at-risk populations such as minority ethnicity and low socioeconomic status.

Seroprevalence and risk factors for Toxocara infection among children in a rural community in Fars province, southern Iran

“…21 In another study in the USA, male gender, lower income, nonwhite ethnicity and less than collegelevel education were considered as associated risk factors for the Toxocara infection. 28 Fallah et al 23 for Toxocara infection with a significant difference between sex gender (more common in women), but not among the age groups. 29 Yet, a few studies reported that the seropositivity to Toxocara increases by age.…”

Community-Based Health Insurance Increased Health Care Utilization and Reduced Mortality in Children Under-5, Around Bwindi Community Hospital, Uganda Between 2015 and 2017

“…The other two are social insurance and taxation, both of which require a large formal economy ( 13 , 14 ). The 58th World Health Assembly focused on health care financing in order to promote access sharing risk and protecting poor people from impoverishment due to catastrophic health-care expenditures ( 15 , 16 ).…”

Legal aspects associated with the lack of possibilities of preventing the spread of toxocarosis and toxoplasmosis in Poland

“…Source of zoonosis are the sick and infected animals that have direct contact with humans as well as animals which constitute a source of food for people [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. The development of civilization does not always limit incidents of contagion with a disease, which could not be eliminated even in developed countries [14,[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. Although there are effective ways to stop the spread of these diseases, they cannot always be used.…”