title: Anti-Toxocara spp. antibodies in an adult healthy population: serosurvey and risk factors in Southeast Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the frequency of anti-Toxocara spp. antibodies in an adult healthy population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed by interviewing 253 blood donors, from 19 to 65 years of age, in a hematological centre in Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, southeast Brazil. A survey was applied to blood donors in order to evaluate the possible factors associated to the presence of antibodies, including individual (gender and age), socioeconomic (scholarship, familial income and sanitary facilities) and habit information (contact with soil, geophagy, onycophagy and intake of raw/undercooked meat) as well as the presence of dogs or cats in the household. ELISA test was run for detection of the anti-Toxocara spp. IgG antibodies. Bivariate analysis followed by logistic regression was performed to evaluate the potential risk factors associated to seropositivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence observed in this study was 8.7% (22/253). Contact with soil was the unique risk factor associated with the presence of antibodies (P=0.017 8; OR=3.52; 95% CI=1.244-9.995).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study reinforce the necessity in promoting preventive public health measures, even for healthy adult individual, particularly those related to the deworming of pets to avoid the soil contamination, and hygiene education of the population.
authors.affiliation: Post Graduation in Animal Science Master Program/Universidade do Oeste Paulista [Unoeste], Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação, Rod. Raposo Tavares km 572, Bairro Limoeiro, 19067-175 Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elaine Cristina
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Negri
authors.forename: Vamilton Alvares
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Santarém
authors.forename: Guita
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rubinsky-Elefant
authors.forename: Rogério
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giuffrida
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014119:Toxocara / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: Diagnostic; Epidemiology; Larva migrans; Seroprevalence; Toxocariasis