Clinical, Laboratory Characteristic, and Treatment of Human Toxocariasis in Northern Vietnam

Abstract

Background: We determined the occurrence frequency of Clinical signs, subclinical characteristics on positive anti-IgG Toxocara ELISA cases, and clinical response results after 1 month of albendazole-specific treatment. 
 Methods: A number of 103 clinically treated patients were studied between 2018 and 2019 in two hospitals. Relevant data are collected from examination and medical records such as age, sex, job, resident, clinical and sub-clinical signs. Sera samples were subjected to anti-IgG Toxocara antigen using ELISA. 
 Results: The median age of the patient was 43.6 ± 14.4 years. The most common symptom groups were the skin and mucosa (88.3%), followed by neurological symptoms (44%). There are 76.7% of patients with risk factors for contact with pet dogs and cats. The majority of eosinophils in the normal range (< 8%) accounted for 85.4%, the major results of the OD value of ELISA were in the group (≥ 0.3-< 1.5) accounted for 75.7%. The skin and mucosa lesions in toxocariasis patients related to IgE values were statistically significant (P <0.05). The effectiveness of anthelmintic treatment is low with nearly half of patients having no clinical symptoms after 1 month of post-treatment. It is statistically significant between exposure to dogs/cats and treatment outcomes on clinical symptoms (P < 0.05).
 Conclusion: Toxocara infections in Vietnamese people often have skin allergies and liver damage, rarely with severe neurological symptoms. The efficacy of albendazole treatment after one month is not clear. In the near future, research with a confirmatory test other than Anti-IgG Toxocara ELISA is needed to screen for in-hospital diagnosis.

Comprehensive Control of Toxocariasis in Communities

“…Because the diagnosis of this parasitic infection in humans is subject to serological examination that detects antibodies against Toxocara excretory-secretory (TES) antigens. This test, however, has low specificity (cross-reactions with other helminths) and is not capable of discriminating the asymptomatic form from those that lead to other syndromes, or historical chronic or acute infections [24,25].…”

Prevalence of antibodies toToxocara canisand its associated risk factors in socio‐economically deprived nomadic communities of Pakistan

“…In most human toxocariasis cases, serious symptoms do not appear, although in some cases symptoms such as eye inflammation, retina damage, blurred vision, skin rashes, breathing difficulties, abdominal pain, fever, coughing, loss of appetite and fatigue had been reported (Thu et al, 2022). Studies also revealed that toxocariasis is more prevalent in children (Foroutan et al, 2022;Heidari et al, 2022).…”

“…After ingestion, parasitic larvae penetrate the intestinal wall and move to a variety of organs, including the brain, eyes, lungs, and liver, through blood circulation and may cause clinical manifestations, such as visceral and ocular larva migrans, covert Toxocara infection, eosinophilic meningoencephalitis and neurotoxocariasis. In most human toxocariasis cases, serious symptoms do not appear, although in some cases symptoms such as eye inflammation, retina damage, blurred vision, skin rashes, breathing difficulties, abdominal pain, fever, coughing, loss of appetite and fatigue had been reported (Thu et al, 2022). Studies also revealed that toxocariasis is more prevalent in children (Foroutan et al, 2022; Heidari et al, 2022).…”