Pulmonary toxocariasis: a case report and literature review.
Toxocariasis is a parasitic disease caused by Toxocara canis or T. cati. We report a patient with toxocariasis who presented with dyspnea, high-grade eosinophilia, and bilateral pulmonary nodules. To further characterize the pulmonary manifestations of toxocariasis, we have reviewed 11 previously published pulmonary toxocariasis cases. The most common pulmonary symptoms in our review were cough and dyspnea, and the most common finding on chest imaging was bilateral pulmonary nodules. Risk factors for Toxocara infection primarily included exposure to dogs. Most patients received albendazole and responded well. A high index of suspicion is needed to diagnose this otherwise preventable parasitic disease.
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Cooper University Hospital, 3 Cooper Plaza, Suite 312, Camden, NJ, 08103, USA, ranasuriya-ganga@cooperhealth.edu.
G
G
Ranasuriya
A
A
Mian
Z
Z
Boujaoude
C
C
Tsigrelis
D000368:Aged; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008174:Lung Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D014119:Toxocara / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*
D000871:Anthelmintics; D015766:Albendazole