title: Relationship between Toxocara seropositivity and allergic rhinitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic rhinitis is the most common chronic disease in the upper respiratory tract, requiring better diagnostic methodology to counteract its onslaught. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between Toxocara seropositivity and allergic rhinitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four consecutive patients with allergic rhinitis and 61 healthy volunteers in the control group were included in this study. The diagnosis of allergic rhinitis was defined by positive epicutaneous prick test. The diagnosis of toxocariasis was established by IgG and specific IgE antibodies against Toxocara by ELISA method. All cases were examined for intestinal parasites also. The seropositive cases with Toxocara were reevaluated for symptoms and signs of toxocariasis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher toxocariasis seropositivity (ELISA IgG; 28.1%) rate was determined in the patients with allergic rhinitis and compared with the control groups (11.5%; p < 0.05). Specific IgE seropositivity (17.2%) was high for the patients with allergic rhinitis compared with the control group (3.3%; p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that there was a possible causal relationship between Toxocara infection and allergic rhinitis. Patients with allergic rhinitis from a region with high prevalence for this parasitic infection should be evaluated for Toxocara infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Suleyman Demirel University School of Medicine, Isparta, Turkey. myariktas@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yariktas
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demirci
authors.forename: Giray
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aynali
authors.forename: Selcuk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Fehmi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Doner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D014119:Toxocara / Q000276:immunology; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth