Toxocariasis - What Do We Know?

Abstract

Toxocariasis is a helminthic zoonosis caused by the presence and migration of animal nematode larvae in human tissue – mostly Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati. The term visceral larva migrans syndrome was used for the first time in 1952 by Beaver et al. who described the typical clinical presentation. There are difficulties in the diagnosis of toxocariasis because of the variety of symptoms depending on the larva localisation in different tissues and organs. Currently, the most commonly used serological methods are ELISA and Western blot. The disease is characterised by diverse clinical picture and thus toxocariasis is very rarely identified and most patients remain undiagnosed, which requires in-depth study of this widespread but still problematic zoonosis.