title: Seroepidemiology of Toxocariasis and Its Clinical Implications in Gwangju and Jeonnam-province, Korea.
abstract: We investigated the seroepidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of patients suspected to have toxocariasis in Gwangju and Jeonnam-province, Korea. In total, 228 specimens were analyzed for anti-Toxocara canis IgG at two university hospitals from 2010 to 2012. The overall seropositive rate was 67.1%, and the seropositive rates among the eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic groups were 76.1% (105/138) and 53.3% (48/90), respectively. Risk factors for eosinophilia and toxocariasis were male sex (odds ratios [OR]=2.632 and 3.477, respectively) and a history of ingesting raw meat (OR=2.884 and 3.274, respectively), especially raw cow liver (OR=2.089 and 10.038, respectively). T. canis seropositivity (OR=5.807, P=0.004) and a history of consuming raw cow liver (OR=2.766, P=0.052) were risk factors for organ involvement. The anti-T. canis IgG level showed weakly positive correlations with eosinophil counts (r=0.234, P<0.001) and the duration of eosinophilia (r=0.155, P=0.019). Although limited to the regions of Gwangju and Jeonnam-province, this study supports the opinion that toxocariasis is a reasonable focus as a cause of eosinophilia and that it is also associated with organ involvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea. ; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Jeong
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Won
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Seonam University, Namwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Korea.
authors.forename: Myung-Geun
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Soon Pal
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Wook
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Ryang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D017166:Toxocara canis / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: Eosinophilia; Organ involvement; Raw cow liver; Seroepidemiology; Toxocariasis