Toxocariasis: a neglected entity.
Toxocara canis infects many dogs yet has been seldom implicated as a cause of human disease in New Zealand. Nine patients with diagnostic titres for Toxocara canis who were seen in Christchurch Hospital over a five-year period are described. Ophthalmoscopic signs of toxocaral infection were visible at the optic disc or posterior pole of all ten affected eyes. A localised disciform detachment of the macula or a focal granuloma on the disc or retina were the commonest lesions. Vision was reduced to 6/60 or less in five affected eyes while the remaining five eyes lost 2-4 lines of vision on the test chart.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001196:Ascariasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000175:diagnosis*