title: How common is human toxocariasis? Towards standardizing our knowledge.
abstract: Our understanding of the global impact and cost of human toxocariasis is poor because there is insufficient clinical awareness and no clear repository for the efficacy of clinical, laboratory and treatment interventions. Uniform clinical and laboratory investigative approaches maximize disease diagnosis. International collaboration is required to develop web-based, professional educational support, surveillance questionnaires and standardized serodiagnostic criteria. Determining clinical benefits and treatment outcomes using less crossreactive antigens will enhance clinical and treatment interventions. Increased liaison will identify realistic occurrence and prevalence data and cost benefits of intervention. Web-based centres of excellence and repositories of current knowledge, which augment current veterinary and public health educational sites, should be supported. Expected outcomes should be capable of addressing the clinical and financial burdens of this treatable disease.
authors.affiliation: Scottish Parasite Diagnostic Laboratory, Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow G21 3UW, UK. huw.smith@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Huw
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Celia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: Mervyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: J-F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Magnaval
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schantz
authors.forename: Rick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maizels
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods; D014119:Toxocara / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents