[Clinical features, the effectiveness of treatment and function of vision organ in children and adolescents with ocular toxocariasis].
OBJECTIVE
Toxocariasis is caused by Toxocara canis, the intestinal nematode commonly found in dogs. Patients are mostly young children, with an average age of 7.5 years. Patients have unilateral progressive painless vision loss and occasional leukocoria. Ocular toxocariasis has a variable presentation, from localized peripheral or macular granulomas to chronic endophthalmitis.


METHODS
Clinical features, the effectiveness of treatment and function of vision organ in 19 children and adolescents with ocular toxocariasis were analyzed retrospectively.


RESULTS
The mean patient age was 10.3 years. Inflammation was unilateral in all patients. In 11 cases (57.9%) there was peripheral granuloma, in 3 cases (15.8%) posterior pole granuloma and endophthalmitis in 5 cases (26.3%). Zentel was applied in 14 patients, Hetrazan in 3 patients and Mintezol in 2 patients. Improvement of visual acuity was achieved in 11 eyes (57.9%), no improvement in 7 eyes (36.8%), deterioration in 1 eye (5.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
Ocular toxocariasis is the disease with differentiated clinical presentation. Toxocara uveitis can cause significant vision loss. In some cases quick diagnosis and effective treatment with corticosteroids and antihelminthics allowed to obtain clinical improvement.
Urban
Beata
B
Kliniki Okulistyki Dzieciecej Akademii Medycznej w Białymstoku. urbanbea@amb.edu.pl
Bakunowicz-Łazarczyk
Alina
A
Michał
Szumiński
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D009877:Endophthalmitis / Q000469:parasitology; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology*; D015822:Eye Infections, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017166:Toxocara canis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014605:Uveitis / Q000469:parasitology
D000871:Anthelmintics