Abstract

ARCHELLI, Susana  and  KOZUBSKY, Leonora. Toxocara and toxocariosis. Acta bioquím. clín. latinoam. [online]. 2008, vol.42, n.3, pp.379-384. ISSN 0325-2957.

Toxocara is a genus of intestinal dog and cat parasites. They can accidentally infect humans producing severe disease. The infection in animals is contracted by ingestion of infective eggs or paratenic hosts. Soil is very important in the dissemination of this parasitic zoonosis. Humans acquire the infection orally, not existing person to person transmission. Toxocariosis, a systemic larval parasitosis, may present as an asymptomatic form or with respiratory compromise, eosinophilia, fever, hepatomegaly, esplenomegaly, hypergammaglobulinemia, adenopathies, and disorders of central nervous system, myocardium, eyes, skin and even as a fatal disease. Clinically, it may present as visceral larva migrans syndrome, ocular larva migrans syndrome, neurologic toxocariosis and masked toxocariosis. It is very common in children. The diagnosis is based on the detection of antibodies by means of serologic tests, evaluated along with clinical and epidemiological aspects. The suspected diagnosis can be confirmed by identification of larvae in biopsy specimens. Nowadays, molecular techniques enable the detection of different stages and fractions of parasite DNA.

Keywords : Toxocara; Toxocariosis; Larva migrans syndrome.

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