Epidemiologic approach to human toxocariasis in western France.
Toxocara canis is a common parasite in puppies. The danger to human health has not been properly established. We estimated the current incidence of this pathogen in two western districts of France, Loire-Atlantique and Maine et Loire. Blood samples from 1836 eosino-philic patients were collected and tested by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) excretory-secretory Toxocara antigen test. We obtained positive results in 22% of the cases and highly positive results in 7%. The ELISA data seemed to be age-dependent, with older patients having more positive results (P < 0.0001). The interlaboratory distribution of positive test results was statistically significantly different (P < 0.0001), suggesting regional sources. The main clinical expressions of toxocariasis were: asthenia, gastric pain, and pulmonary disease. Individual and collective surveys of this zoonotic disease need to be carried out.
Gueglio
B
B
Laboratoire de Parasitologie Pathologie Exotique, Faculté de Médicine, Nantes, France.
de Gentile
L
L
Nguyen
J M
JM
Achard
J
J
Chabasse
D
D
Marjolet
M
M
D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012424:Rural Population; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D017166:Toxocara canis / Q000469:parasitology*; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth