title: Seroprevalence and risk factors for Toxocara infection in children from an urban large setting in Northeast Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to standardize an "in house" immunoassay to detect anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies in human serum to estimate the seroprevalence of Toxocara infection, and to identify its potential risk factors in children living in poor areas of Salvador, a large northeastern Brazilian city.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parents of 1309 children answered a questionnaire containing possible risk factor for acquisition of this infection. Blood was collected and the presence of anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies was detected by indirect ELISA using T. canis larval excretory-secretory antigens in sera previously absorbed with Ascaris lumbricoides antigens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seroprevalence of Toxocara infection was 48.4%. Children's age, low maternal schooling, contact with dogs and cats, and household located in paved streets were shown to be risk factors for Toxocara infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The seroprevalence of Toxocara infection is high among children living in a poor urban setting of Brazil. The association of low maternal education with higher Toxocara infection supports studies showing that low socioeconomic status is a risk factor for the acquisition of this infection as a reflection of hygiene habits of the family. And both infected-dogs and cats may be involved in this parasite transmission in this children population.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Av. Reitor Miguel Calmon, s/n. Canela, Salvador, Bahia, CEP: 40110-902, Brazil. Electronic address: mendoncalr@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lívia R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Mendonça
authors.forename: Camila A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Esquivel
authors.forename: Rosemeire L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Fiaccone
authors.forename: Lain
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pontes-de-Carvalho
authors.forename: Phillip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Maurício L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Barreto
authors.forename: Neuza M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Alcantara-Neves
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000635:transmission; D002415:Cats; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000635:transmission; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010274:Parasitology / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014505:Urban Population; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: Children; Risk factors; Seroprevalence; Toxocara infection