Toxocariasis

Although well recognized and studied in developed countries, canine parasitic zoonoses pose a lowly prioritized public health problem in developing countries such as India, where conditions are conducive for transmission. A study of the most recent parasite survey determining prevalence and epidemiology of canine parasitic zoonoses among tea-growing communities of northeast India demonstrated the endemicity of the problem. This particular study serves as a model using conventional, as well as molecular parasitological, tools to provide novel insights into the role of dogs as mechanical transmitters of human parasites such as Ascaris and Trichuris, and discusses the risks dogs pose with regards to zoonotic transmission of hookworms and Giardia.

La Toxocariasis es una enfermedad que se transmite accidentalmente al ser humano a través de la ingestión de un nematodo denominado Toxocara canis, el cual parasita los intestinos de los caninos. La migración larvaria a los distintos tejidos u órganos genera dos formas clínicas que se manifiestan con mayor frecuencia, estos son el Síndrome de Larva Migrans Visceral y el Síndrome de Larva Migrans Oftálmica. El diagnóstico se determina a través de la prueba de ELISA, que detecta la presencia del anticuerpo anti-Toxocara canis en el suero del paciente.

Human toxocariasis is commonly seen in places where stray and Toxocara canis-infected dog population is high. There is a strong correlation between frequency of Toxocara infection, life style, and infection risk. Institutionalization of mental retarded patients increases to risk of toxocariasis. In this study, we aimed at investigating the frequency of Toxocara infection among children with mental retardation not requiring institutionalization. The study included 96 cases, who had educatable mental retardation and 85 healthy subjects who comprised the control group. Anti-Toxocara IgG or IgM antibodies were investigated in all serum samples, using ELISA method. The frequency of Toxocara infection was found significantly higher in mental retarded cases than in those in the control group (18.8% and 7.1% respectively) (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between mental retarded children and the control group in terms of mean age, age groups, gender, owning dogs and cats and duration of their ownership, socio-economic level and behavioural factors, and personal hygiene (p > 0.05). We did not find any significant difference between Toxocara seropositive and seronegative mental retarded children in terms of demographic factors and epidemiological factors that could increase the risk of Toxocara infection (p > 0.05). The present study is the first seroprevalence study carried out with a mental retarded group not requiring institutionalization. Determination of high frequency of Toxocara infection suggests that these subjects constitute a risk factor for Toxocara infection, which may be attributed to their behavioural patterns.

The anthelmintic activity of extracts from Chenopodiumambrosioides, Pycnanthusangolensis and Nutridesintox was in vitro and in vivo investigated, against Toxocaracanis larvae. The in vitro assays results showed that the aqueous extract of Nutridesintox was the most effective, followed by C. ambrosioides extracts, hexane, dichloromethane and the infusion. P. angolensis extracts showed a lower anthelmintic activity compared to the other natural products. For the in vivo assays, Nutridesintox, the hexane extract and the infusion of C. ambrosioides were administered orally to T. canis-infected mice, in single doses, during three consecutive days. The efficacy was evaluated on the 17th day post-infection, not only by counting T. canis larvae in the tissues but also by ELISA detection of IgM and IgG antibodies and histological analysis of liver and lungs. The different treatments did not reduce the larvae burden and had no influence on the antibodies dynamic. Interestingly, a reduction on the inflammatory infiltrates was observed in the liver and lung sections of the group treated with the hexane extract of C. ambrosioides. In conclusion, the hexane extract of C. ambrosioides is of further research interest, as it showed an anthelmintic activity in vitro and a reduction on the inflammatory reaction produced by the infection of T. canis larvae in vivo.

Background: Toxocariasis is the clinical terms applied to infection of human with Ascarid nematodes in the order Ascaridida, named Toxocara canis and T. cati. Because in recent years in Iran many people desire to keep pets (cats and dogs), and lacking of seroepidemiological study of toxocariasis in Mashhad, we decided to determine the seroprevalence of toxocariasis among people who own cats and dogs in comparison with control group. Methods: A serological study for detection antibodies to Toxocara in two groups (93 cat and dog owners and 93 healthy people as control group) was conducted from Feb 2013 to Dec 2013. An ELISA method was employed using determination of IgG antibodies against Toxocara. The serum samples were evaluated for anti-Toxocara antibody, using ELISA technique at Parasitology and Immunology Lab of Imam Reza Hospital of Mashhad. Using a questionnaire, epidemiological factors associated with infection were examined. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test. Results: The seroprevalence of Toxocara antibodies in the pet owners and control group was respectively 20.43% and 1.07%. 47.3% of pet owners were female. Conclusion: Presented data showed the significant difference between seropreva-lence of toxocariasis among pet owners and control group. Education of society and in particular pet owners consisting of preventing contamination of the environment with Toxocara eggs is advised.

Parasitic helminthiases, such as toxocariasis, cysticercosis and paragonimiasis are a public health threat, since they can affect the brain leading to neurological disorders. Epilepsy and paragonimiasis are common in southwestern Cameroon. We reviewed the literature for studies using antigens to diagnose toxocariasis, cysticercosis, and paragonimiasis. Serology revealed that 61 (36.3%), 26 (15.5%) and 2 (1.2%) of 168 persons examined [78 males (15.2 +/- 8.2 years old), 90 females (12.9 +/- 5.9 years old), 143 persons &lt; 20 years old] had antibody responses to toxocariasis, paragonimiasis and cysticercosis, respectively. Of the 14 people with epilepsy, 5 were seropositive for Toxocara antigens and 1 was positive for both Toxocara and Paragonimus antigens. Two children were serologically confirmed to have cysticercosis. Serologic screening for cysticercosis may be feasible to detect asymptomatic cysticercosis in children in endemic areas leading to early treatment. The causative Par...

Questionnaires were mailed to veterinarians in western Canada to determine dog and cat deworming protocols and the association between perceived zoonotic risk and perceived prevalence of endoparasites and deworming protocols. Of the responding veterinarians (545), 13% and 39% recommended deworming protocols consistent with established guidelines for puppies and kittens, respectively. Mixed animal practitioners and high-perceived prevalence of Toxocara cati were associated with increased appropriate kitten deworming (P &lt; 0.01 and P = 0.04, respectively). High-perceived zoonotic concern of Toxocara canis was associated with increased appropriate puppy deworming (P = 0.01). Sixty-eight percent of veterinarians noted an established hospital deworming protocol, although only 78% followed the protocol. Forty-four percent of veterinarians stated they discussed with all clients the zoonotic risk of animal-derived endoparasites, whereas the remainder discussed it only under particular cir...

Purpose: To assess the relationship between epilepsy and toxocariasis in adult subjects by means of a case–control study in Catania, Italy.Methods: People with epilepsy (PWE) were randomly selected from the database of the center of epilepsy of our department. Epilepsy was diagnosed according to the definition proposed by the International League Against Epilepsy. One healthy control per each case was selected among subjects who went to the central laboratory for a hematological check. Control subjects underwent a complete neurological examination to exclude the presence of neurological disorders. PWE and controls were assessed serologically for antibodies against Toxocara canis (T. canis) by an immunoblotting assay.Results: Two hundred thirty-one PWE (110 men and 121 women) and 201 controls (126 men and 75 women) were enrolled in the study. Of the 231 PWE, 152 presented partial seizures. Antibodies anti-T. canis were found in 38 PWE (16.4%) and in 13 controls (6.6%) giving a crude OR of 2.85 (95% CI 1.47–5.51). Adjusted OR estimated by logistic regression was 3.90 (95% CI 1.91–7.98). This association was mainly due to a significant association between Toxocara antibodies and partial epilepsy (adjusted OR 4.69; 95% CI 2.24–9.80), while a positive, but not significant, association was found with generalized seizures (adjusted OR 1.74; 95% CI 0.60–5.05).Conclusion: We found a significant association between T. canis seropositivity and epilepsy and a stronger association was found with partial epilepsy. Our finding suggests that toxocariasis may increase the risk of epilepsy.

Toxocariasis is a zoonosis due to infection of humans by dog or cat roundworm (Toxocara canis, T. cati). Humans become infected by ingestion of infective eggs either from soil, dirty hands, raw fruits and vegetables or larvae from undercooked meat of paratenic hosts. The aim of the study was to evaluate the level of contamination of soil samples from households of children with diagnosed toxocariasis in rural and urban areas of Łódź voivodeship. In the years 2004-2007 toxocariasis was confirmed in 178 patients of the Polish Memorial Hospital in Łódź. The soil samples were collected from 53 courtyards of patients&#39; domiciles. Toxocara spp. eggs were isolated from the samples using flotation technique (Dada 1979). The examinations revealed the high prevalence of ground contamination with Toxocara eggs in both, rural (30.4%) and urban areas (23.3%). The presence of Toxocara eggs in households enlarges the risk of re-infection for children with diagnosed toxocariasis, especially in r...

Aim: The current study was designed to isolate and characterize Toxocara vitulorum glycoprotein antigens and then to evaluate its potency in accurate diagnosis of toxocariasis.

Materials and Methods: T. vitulorum glycoprotein fractions were isolated using Con-A affinity chromatography. The fractions characterized using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and immunoblot assay. Mass spectrometric analysis was used for identification of proposed structure of the N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) fraction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to assess the diagnostic potential of the isolated fractions.

Results: Surface of T. vitulorum adult worm revealed two glycoprotein fractions rich in glucose (Glc) and GlcNAc. Three bands of molecular weight 212kDa, 107 kDa, and 93 kDa were detected in Glc fraction by SDS-PAGE. These bands were also detected in GlcNAc fraction with an additional band of 49 kDa. GlcNAc fraction showed more diagnostic potency of calves' toxocariasis; 79% than Glc fraction; 46.9% by indirect ELISA. The additional band of 49 kDa in GlcNAc fraction is probably responsible for its higher diagnostic potentials. Western blotting verified the immunoreactivity of the Glc and GlcNAc isolated fraction as they reacted with calves sera infected with toxocariasis. The proposed structure of GlcNAc fraction was Ser-Meth-Arg-O-methylated GlcNAc.

Conclusion: GlcNAc-rich fraction of T. vitulorum can be successfully utilized in the diagnosis of calves' toxocariasis.

Immunopathologic reactions may occur during toxocariasis due to tissue invasion and destruction by the secretions of larvae containing various enzymes with broad spectrum. The aim of this study was to search for autoantibodies such as anti-nuclear (ANA), anti-mitochondrial (AMA), anti-smooth muscle (ASMA), anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic (ANCA), anti-myeloperoxidase (MPO) and liver-kidney microsomal type 1 (LKM-1) antibodies in patients with toxocariasis, in order to investigate the role of toxocariasis as a trigger factor for autoimmune reactions. Forty patients (22 were male; mean age: 35.6 +/- 10.7 years) diagnosed as toxocariasis by clinical findings (abdominal pain, allergic symptoms and/or eosinophilia, without detection of any other causative agents, and without liver dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, cardiac or renal failure, and autoimmune disease) and in-house ELISA positivity and 32 healthy controls (16 were male; mean age: 40.7 +/- 11.2 years) were included to the study. ANA (...

Knowledge of parasites shed by wild canids can assist in recognizing risk to human and domestic animal health. Our aim was to estimate the prevalence of patent infections with Toxocara canis and other parasites in foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and coyotes (Canis latrans) in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Identification of parasite species was based on microscopic examination of feces, with the use of a sucrose fecal flotation method. Sample collection was performed in winter on carcasses of 271 and 185 hunted or trapped foxes and coyotes, respectively. One or more parasite species were observed in 242 (89%) foxes and 128 (69%) coyotes. Toxocara canis, Uncinaria stenocephala, Capillaria spp., Mesocestoides, Taenidd spp., Alaria spp., Cryptocotyle lingua, Sarcocystis spp., Neospora caninum-like coccidia, and other coccidia were identified. A third of juvenile foxes were shedding T. canis and had a high prevalence of Capillaria spp., especially in juvenile foxes (69%). Taenidd eggs, Alaria spp. and Sarcocystis spp. were more common in coyotes (24, 18, and 9%, respectively) than foxes (8, 11, and 1%, respectively). Despite the limitations of fecal flotation to identify parasite species, the high prevalence of T. canis warrants the attention of public health professionals.

Objective
To investigate the seropositivity rate for anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies in patients with schizophrenia and to assess its association with schizophrenia along with some risk factors for toxocariasis, eosinophilia and the presence of other intestinal parasites.
Methods
Serological examination of 90 schizophrenic patients and 45 healthy controls was carried out by using commercial Toxocara canis IgG ELISA kit for the detection of anti-Toxocara antibodies. Also, eosinophils in peripheral blood and the presence of other intestinal parasites were investigated.
Results
Seropositivity for T. canis was detected in 21 (23.3%) out of 90 schizophrenic patients and in one subject (2.2%) of 45 healthy controls (p<0.01). When seropositive and seronegative schizophrenic patients were compared with respect to sex, residence, owning dogs /cats,
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history of geophagia, there was no significant differences between them (p>0.05). In contrast, when they were compared with respect to raw food intake and personal hygiene, the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). Eosinophilia in peripheral blood was detected in 61.9% of seropositive schizophrenic patients and in 24.6% of seronegative schizophrenic patients (p<0.01). Of 21 schizophrenic patients with positive serology, 47.6% had at least one intestinal parasite comparing to 20.3% in patients with negative serology (p< 0.05).
Conclusion: There might be a causal relationship between toxocariasis and schizophrenia.Either Toxocara may be a possible etiologic agent of schizophrenia or the schizophrenic patients may be at high risk for Toxocara infection.

Eighty-seven red foxes were investigated for the presence of Toxocara eggs on a sample of their hair from the peri-anal region. The worm burden of Toxocara in each fox intestine was also assessed and the relationship between eggs on the hair and worms in the intestine explored. Twenty-eight per cent of the foxes were found to have Toxocara eggs on their hair, with an average of 1.31 ± 3.21 eggs per gram of hair ( ± SD). Sixty-one per cent of foxes harboured Toxocara worms within their intestines, with a mean worm burden ( ± SD) of 4 ± 8. Host age and sex did not significantly influence the observed eggs on the hair or the worm burden. No significant correlation was found between the numbers of eggs on the hair and the worm burden within the intestine. These data collected from foxes are explored in the context of data from stray dogs and the possible epidemiological differences are discussed.

Toxocariasis is a parasitic zoonosis with worldwide distribution that affects both cats and dogs. Necropsy of 114 stray cats from Shiraz revealed that 106 (92.9%) stray cats were infected at least with one of the intestinal helminth species. The overall infection rates in stray cats infected with cestoda and nematoda were 105(99.1%) and 101(95.3%) respectively. The detected cestodes were Joyeuxiella pasqualei (34.3%), Dipylidium caninum (49.5%), Taenia taeniaeformis (12.3%), Spirometra sp. (3.8%) and the detected nematodes were Physaloptera sp. (44.6%), Toxocara cati (42.6%) and Toxascaris leonina (12.9%). The study revealed that T. cati was one of the most frequently detected intestinal helminths, which is an important source of zoonotic helminths.

Although toxocaral granulomatous hepatitis (TGH) characterized with a dominant-Th2 type immune response is a self-limiting disease, little is known concerning the role of fibrosis-related cytokine transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) in pathogenesis of TGH. A detailed histological and quantitatively immunohistochemical analysis of TGF-β1, α-smooth muscle actins (α-SMA), and collagen was performed on the liver tissues from mice infected with Toxocara canis as assessed between day 1 and 42 weeks post-infection (DPI or WPI).TGF-β1 was detected mainly in infiltrating leukocytes in lesions with strong expressions from 4 to 16 WPI. Larvae per se also exhibited strong TGF-β1-like molecule expressions in the trial. Alpha-SMA was detected predominantly in hepatic stellate cells (HSC) which surrounded the lesions with moderate expressions largely throughout the period of the entire experiment. Collagen was observed to accumulate in inflammatory lesions and biliary basement with moderate to strong expressions from 1 WPI onwards in the trial. Since many evidences have indicated that leukocytes have the potential to influence HSC by producing TGF-β1 which can affect HSC to increase collagen synthesis in various liver diseases, we may propose that persistently elevated TGF-β1 expression in infiltrating leukocytes and active HSC with marked α-SMA expressions may contribute to healing of injured sites through up-stimulation of collagen deposition; in contrast, abnormally persistent collagen accumulation may cause irreversible fibrotic injury in the TGH.

Toxocariasis is a parasitic zoonosis with worldwide distribution that affects both cats and dogs. Necropsy of 114 stray cats from Shiraz revealed that 106 (92.9%) stray cats were infected at least with one of the intestinal helminth species. The overall infection rates in stray cats infected with cestoda and nematoda were 105(99.1%) and 101(95.3%) respectively. The detected cestodes were Joyeuxiella pasqualei (34.3%), Dipylidium caninum (49.5%), Taenia taeniaeformis (12.3%), Spirometra sp. (3.8%) and the detected nematodes were Physaloptera sp. (44.6%), Toxocara cati (42.6%) and Toxascaris leonina (12.9%). The study revealed that T. cati was one of the most frequently detected intestinal helminths, which is an important source of zoonotic helminths.

Most studies from Argentina have focused on toxocariasis as an environmental problem of big cities, and there are no available data about children infection from small or middle-sized cities. In order to assess the prevalence of anti-Toxocara antibodies in infantile population, 206 children from Resistencia, of both sexes, aged 1-14 years old were studied by Elisa testing with E/S T. canis L2 antigens. Hematological parameters and immunoglobulin levels were determined; five days&#39; stool samples were studied and epidemiological data were obtained by means of a questionnaire to parents. Results showed that 73% of the children had one or more dogs living at home, 57% reported geophagia and 37.9% were positive for Toxocara serology, but there was no significant difference in prevalence neither for boys and girls, nor concerning age. An increased risk of infection was observed in age groups 5-6 and 7-8 for boys, and in age groups 3-4 and 5-6 for girls.