pica and Toxocariasis

The objective of this study was to investigate the main clinical signs and symptoms of toxocarosis in children and the treatment results. The study group consisted of 66 seropositive children aged 2 to 16 years, evaluated in an outpatient clinic in north-eastern Poland for 24 months. Male gender and living in urban areas predominated in the study population. Children presented with non-specific symptoms, of which the most common was abdominal pain or tenderness, which was reported by 39 (59%) patients. Absolute eosinophil counts were increased in 32 (48%) children. Total IgE concentrations were increased in 31 of 55 (56%) tested children. All evaluated children received albendazole as a first-line treatment. In 19 cases, additional treatment with albendazole and/or diethylcarbamazine was provided. The analysis of possible causes of prolonged treatment revealed that significant risk factors were geophagia [odds ratio (OR), 6.3; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.8-21.8; p < 0.01] and daily contact with a dog [OR, 5.9; 95% CI, 1.3-27.3, p < 0.05]. We hypothesise that poor hygiene habits and daily contact with a dog pose a risk of reinfection and limits treatment efficiency. Because of non-specific signs and frequent lack of eosinophilia, physicians should maintain high levels of suspicion for toxocarosis, particularly in patients who live in regions heavily contaminated with Toxocara eggs.

Topics: Adolescent; Albendazole; Animals; Anthelmintics; Antibodies, Protozoan; Child; Child, Preschool; Diethylcarbamazine; Dogs; Eosinophilia; Female; Humans; Hygiene; Immunoglobulin E; Male; Pica; Poland; Risk Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Toxocara; Toxocariasis; Treatment Outcome

Topics: Animals; Anthelmintics; Child; Humans; Larva Migrans, Visceral; Male; Multiple Pulmonary Nodules; Myasthenia Gravis; Pica; Toxocara; Toxocariasis

Topics: Adult; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency; Brain; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Headache; Humans; Hypereosinophilic Syndrome; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Pica; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Stroke; Toxocariasis; Vision Disorders

Topics: Adult; Albendazole; Anthelmintics; Eosinophilia; Female; Glucocorticoids; Humans; Pica; Prednisone; Toxocariasis

Ocular toxocariasis in humans is typically a unilateral disease caused by second-stage larvae of the Toxocara species. Serological evidence of widespread infection in humans provides little information on clinical disease. There is only a single previous estimate of the prevalence of ocular toxocariasis (from Alabama). The present survey examined the extent of consultant-diagnosed toxocaral eye disease among a population of schoolchildren. More than 120,000 participants were surveyed by questionnaire and follow-up. Two sets of control subjects from the same school and from the same county were compared with persons who had ocular toxocariasis. The prevalence of consultant-diagnosed toxocaral eye disease was 6.6 cases per 100,000 persons when only cases regarded as definite by the consultant ophthalmologist were included. This increased to 9.7 cases per 100,000 persons when both definite and strongly suspected cases were included. Geophagia and a history of convulsion were associated with toxocaral eye disease in both of the case-control studies.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Animals; Animals, Domestic; Case-Control Studies; Child; Child, Preschool; Dogs; Eye Infections, Parasitic; Female; Humans; Ireland; Male; Pica; Prevalence; Respiratory Sounds; Risk Factors; Seizures; Toxocariasis

Topics: Albendazole; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency; Animals; Anthelmintics; Antibodies, Helminth; Celiac Disease; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Iron; Liver Diseases, Parasitic; Lung Diseases, Parasitic; Pica; Risk Factors; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Toxocara canis; Toxocariasis; Ultrasonography

Topics: Ascariasis; Child, Preschool; Diagnosis, Differential; Hemoglobin SC Disease; Humans; Lead Poisoning; Male; Pica; Toxocariasis

Topics: Age Factors; Animals; Ascariasis; Child, Preschool; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Feces; Humans; Infant; Pica; Toxocariasis; West Indies

Topics: Ascariasis; Child, Preschool; Eosinophilia; Humans; Male; Pica; Radiography, Abdominal; Toxocariasis

Topics: Adolescent; Antibodies; Ascariasis; Child; Child, Preschool; Epilepsy; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Pica; Toxocariasis