Clinical features of ocular toxocariasis in Japan.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the clinical features of ocular toxocariasis and to describe the unique aspects of the disease in Japan.


METHODS
Thirty-six cases diagnosed as ocular toxocariasis at the uveitis clinic of Tokyo Medical University Hospital were analyzed retrospectively.


RESULTS
Thirty-six cases comprised 34 adults (average age: 39 +/- 10 years) and two nine-year-old boys. All cases were classified into two clinical types: posterior pole type (13 cases) and peripheral type (23 cases). Visual acuity was maintained over 20/20 in 50% and less than 20/200 in 14% of the cases. The peripheral type had worse outcomes than the posterior pole type in all of the endpoints examined: final visual outcome, frequency of ocular complications, and effectiveness of vitreous surgery. Antibody titers in intraocular fluids led to a diagnosis of ocular toxocariasis in eight seronegative cases of 33 cases examined for antibodies in both serum and intraocular fluid samples.


CONCLUSIONS
The peripheral type had a worse prognosis than the posterior pole type. However, in general, ocular toxocariasis resulted in fair visual outcomes. The antibody titer in intraocular fluid was helpful in the diagnosis.
Yokoi
Katsutoshi
K
Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan. kats@do8.itscom.net
Goto
Hiroshi
H
Sakai
Jun-ichi
J
Usui
Masahiko
M
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015822:Eye Infections, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017166:Toxocara canis / Q000276:immunology; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D014603:Uveal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D011239:Prednisolone; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine