SUMMARYThe lack of specific laboratorial diagnosis methods and precise symptoms makes the toxocariasis a neglected disease in Public Health Services. This study aims to determine the frequency of Toxocara spp. infection in children attended by the Health Public Service of Hospital Municipal de Maringá, South Brazil. To evaluate the association of epidemiological and clinical data, an observational and cross-section study was carried out. From 14,690 attended children/year aged from seven month to 12 years old, 450 serum samples were randomly collected from September/2004 to September/2005. A questionnaire was used to evaluate epidemiological, clinical and hematological data. An ELISA using Toxocara canis larval excretory-secretory products as antigen detected 130 (28.8%) positive sera, mainly between children from seven month to five years old (p = 0.0016). Significant correlation was observed between positive serology for Toxocara, and frequent playing in sandbox at school or daycare center (p = 0.011) and the presence of a cat at home (p = 0.056). From the families, 50% were dog owners which exposed soil backyards. Eosinophilia (p = 0.776), and signs and symptoms analyzed (fever p = 0.992, pneumonia p = 0.289, cold-like symptoms p = 0.277, cough p = 0.783, gastrointestinal problems p = 0.877, migraine p = 0.979, abdominal pain p = 0.965, joint pain p = 0.686 and skin rash p = 0.105) could not be related to the presence of anti-Toxocara antibodies. Therefore, two asthmatics children showed titles of 1:10,240 and accentuated eosinophilia (p = 0.0001). The authors emphasize the needs of prevention activities.

SUMMARYToxocariasis is a worldwide public-health problem that poses major risks to children who may accidentally ingest embryonated eggs of Toxocara. The objectives of this study were to investigate the occurrence of anti-Toxocara spp. antibodies in children and adolescents and the variables that may be involved, as well as environmental contamination by Toxocara spp. eggs, in urban recreation areas of north central mesoregion, Paraná State, Brazil. From June 2005 to March 2007. a total of 376 blood samples were collected by the Public Health Service from children and adolescents one to 12 years old, of both genders. Samples were analyzed by the indirect ELISA method for detection of anti-Toxocara antibodies. Serum samples were previously absorbed with Ascaris suum antigens, and considered positive with a reagent reactivity index ≥1. Soil samples from all of the public squares and schools located in the four evaluated municipalities that had sand surfaces (n = 19) or lawns (n = 15) were analyzed. Of the 376 serum samples, 194 (51.6%) were positive. The seroprevalence rate was substantially higher among children aging one to five years (p = 0.001) and six to eight years (p = 0.022). The clinical signs and symptoms investigated did not show a statistical difference between seropositive and seronegative individuals (p > 0.05). In 76.5% of the investigated recreation places, eggs of Toxocara were detected in at least one of the five collected samples. Recreation areas from public schools were 2.8 times more contaminated than from public squares. It is important to institute educational programs to inform families and educators, as well as to improve sanitary control of animals and cleaning of the areas intended for recreation in order to prevent toxocariasis.

This study was designed to test the efficacy of eugenol, a compound obtained from the essential oil of cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), a well characterized murine model of rheumatoid arthritis. Macroscopic clinical evidence of CIA manifests first as periarticular erythema and edema in the hind paws. Treatment with eugenol starting at the onset of arthritis (day 25) ameliorated these clinical signs of CIA. Furthermore, eugenol inhibited mononuclear cell infiltration into the knee joints of arthritic mice and also lowered the levels of cytokines (tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor growth factor (TGF)-β) within the ankle joints. Eugenol treatment did not affect the in vitro cell viability as assessed using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Therefore, eugenol ameliorates experimental arthritis and could be useful as a beneficial supplement in treating human arthritis.Key words eugenol; collagen-induced arthritis; inflammation; cytokine; mononuclear cell Eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) is the major component in the essential oil of many aromatic plants, including clove (Zyzygium aromaticum) and it is known to possess antioxidant, analgesic and neuroprotective properties among others.1,2) In addition, eugenol and related compounds exhibit anti-inflammatory activities, e.g. inhibition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation, cytokine release and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression by macrophages in vitro 3) and inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase activity in polymorphonuclear cells. 4) However, despite the anti-inflammatory effects of eugenol described previously, there is only one report of it exhibiting antirheumatic effects in a model of adjuvant arthritis. 5)This new therapeutic strategy involving natural products has been devised because the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs currently available cause many side effects and show limited efficacy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) is used as an experimental model that resembles human rheumatoid arthritis. Both T cell and B cell responses to the autoantigen as well as the production of cytokines by systemic and tissue-specific cell populations are critical for the development (and eventual diminution) of the autoimmune response to CII and to the pathology in CIA.6) Due to the paucity of information on the effect of eugenol on experimental models of arthritis, this study was undertaken to investigate the efficacy of eugenol on CIA model.

OBJETIVO: Verificar a associação entre a presença de eosinofilia e a soropositividade para anticorpos IgG anti-Toxocara spp. em crianças atendidas pelo Sistema Único de Saúde no Noroeste do Paraná, Brasil. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo com crianças de sete meses a 12 anos, atendidas pelo Sistema Único de Saúde do Noroeste do Paraná, com teste ELISA para a pesquisa de anticorpos IgG anti-Toxocara spp. e contagem de eosinófilos (eosinofilia >600 células/mm³). RESULTADOS: Entre as 1.199 crianças, 386 (32,2%) apresentaram anticorpos IgG anti-Toxocara spp. A soroprevalência e a eosinofilia foram mais frequentes em crianças de sete meses a cinco anos. A eosinofilia foi observada em 7,8% dos pacientes soro-reagentes ao Toxocara spp.. CONCLUSÕES: Foi observada elevada prevalência de anticorpos anti-Toxocara spp., principalmente nos menores de cinco anos. Com exceção de algumas crianças que apresentaram sintomas respiratórios e presença de eosinofilia, a maioria foi assintomática e não mostrava eosinofilia. A pesquisa de eosinófilos é ferramenta secundária para o diagnóstico de toxocaríase.

The aim of the present study was to test the effectiveness of a sausage-casing membrane for dialysis of Toxocara excretory-secretory antigens (TES). The protein concentrated by the tested membrane was compared with that obtained using a Sigma commercial membrane, as were the protein fractions found by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Standard positive and negative serum samples were evaluated in an ELISA immunoassay, and equivalent data were obtained in all steps, indicating that the sausagecasing membrane is efficient, besides being less expensive to process.Uniterms: Toxocara canis/excretory-secretory antigens. Antigens/isolation. Dialysis.O objetivo do presente estudo foi testar a eficácia de uma membrana utilizada para o preparo de embutidos, na obtenção do antígeno de excreção e secreção de Toxocara (TES). A concentração protéica foi comparada com a obtida com a membrana Sigma tanto quanto as frações protéicas separadas por eletroforese em gel de poliacrilamida. Amostras de soros padrão positivo e negativo foram avaliadas no teste imunoenzimático ELISA. Dados equivalentes foram observados em todas as etapas, sugerindo que a membrana possa ser utilizada para diálise por ser eficiente e de menor custo no preparo do antígeno.Unitermos: Toxocara canis/antígenos de excreção e secreção. Antígenos/isolamento. Diálise.