Frequency and risk factors for toxocariasis in children from a pediatric outpatient center in southeastern Brazil

Authors

  • Cristiane Rodrigues Teixeira Universidade Federal de Uberlândia; Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas; Laboratório de Parasitologia
  • Pedro Paulo Chieffi Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo; Laboratório de Imunopatologia da Esquistossomose
  • Suzana A. Z. Lescano Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo; Laboratório de Imunopatologia da Esquistossomose
  • Elisabete Ourique de Melo Silva Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo; Laboratório de Imunobiologia Celular e Molecular
  • Blima Fux Fundação Oswaldo Cruz; Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou; Laboratório de Imunopatologia
  • Márcia Cristina Cury Universidade Federal de Uberlândia; Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas; Laboratório de Parasitologia

Keywords:

Toxocara canis, Toxocariasis, Risk factors

Abstract

To estimate the frequency of anti-Toxocara sp. antibodies, and evaluate factors associated with this infection, sera from 242 male and female children, aged from one to fifteen years old, attended at the Hospital of the Federal University of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, were analyzed by ELISA. Information on the patients was collected and registered using an investigative questionnaire, and details on possible clinical alterations were obtained from the medical charts of 187 patients. Of a total of 242 samples, 21 (8.7%) were positive for anti-Toxocara sp. antibodies. The presence of dogs and cats and the school variable (place of contact), appeared to be significantly associated (p < 0.05) with a positive serology. Respiratory symptoms and eosinophil counts greater than 20% also showed a positive statistical correlation with a positive serology for Toxocara sp.. Factors such as sex and age, and symptoms like headache, stomach ache, convulsive crises and anemia were not associated with toxocariasis.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Downloads

Published

2006-10-01

Issue

Section

Parasitology

How to Cite

Frequency and risk factors for toxocariasis in children from a pediatric outpatient center in southeastern Brazil . (2006). Revista Do Instituto De Medicina Tropical De São Paulo, 48(5), 251-255. https://www.revistas.usp.br/rimtsp/article/view/31021