title: [Seroepidemiologic studies of human toxocariasis].
abstract: People of Southern Germany as well as European and non European asylum applicants were examined for Toxocara-infection by means of an ELISA with excretory/secretory antigen of Toxocara canis-larvae; in default of a reference method the cut off was defined statistically. In the Stuttgart area, the average seroprevalence of healthy blood donors was 4.8%; children aged 1-7 years showed a seroprevalence of 2.1%. However the low percentage in children sera is probably not the effect of a lower risk of infection, but may result from the fact that most of the tested children live in city areas. Non-Europeans and Eastern Europeans showed a significantly higher seroprevalence (13.7% or 17.7% respectively) in comparison to the blood donors from Southern Germany. This indicates a higher risk of infection in these countries. It was possible to determine the different risk factors for a Toxocara canis-infection with some of the test-participants in Southern Germany. Compared to the low-risk-group (seroprevalence 1.9%), the test groups with risk factors showed a significant increase in seroprevalence: dog-owners 5.6%, owners of domestic cattle 9.4%, cat owners 10.9%, farmers 22.6%. In the presence of several risk factors an additive effect on the seroprevalence could be found: In the test group with one risk factor the seroprevalence (9.2%) was lower than in the test groups with two (10.8%) or three risk factors (18.6%). Considering the high prevalences found in this study and the possible dangerous complications of Toxocara canis-infections, medical and hygienic measures seem to be advisable.
authors.affiliation: Medizinischen Landesuntersuchungsamt Stuttgart.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kimmig
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Naser
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Frank
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D001782:Blood Donors; D002415:Cats; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D004285:Dogs; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014119:Toxocara / Q000276:immunology*; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth
vernacular_title: Seroepidemiologische Untersuchungen zur Toxokariasis des Menschen.