title: Visceral larva migrans among children in Kütahya (Turkey) and an evaluation of playgrounds for T. canis eggs.
abstract: This research was undertaken to determine the seroprevalence of Toxocara canis (T. canis) in children aged 3-13 years in Kütahya, to determine the presence of infected larvae in playground sandboxes, and to obtain a view of the general situation regarding visceral larva migrans (VLM) in the city. The blood sera of 119 children (54 girls, 65 boys) were tested for T. canis IgG, and 9 (7.6%) were found positive. In sand samples collected from playgrounds in nine different residential areas across the city, only two of them, in Inköy and Zafertepe neighborhoods, had T. canis larvae; in total, 3 of the 30 sand samples (10%) contained larvae. It is concluded that the main factor regarding VLM infection in children is outdoor playgrounds or playing areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Dumlupinar University, Faculty of Medicine, Kütahya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cihangir
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Akdemir
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007816:Larva Migrans, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D008297:Male; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D017166:Toxocara canis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D012822:Silicon Dioxide