title: Toxocara canis infection: Unusual trigger of systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: Infection by Toxocara canis can cause systemic vasculitis. We report here a unique case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) triggered by T. canis infection. An 8-year-old girl was treated with albendazole therapy for common toxocariasis, but she developed two weeks later, asthenia, fever, infiltrated maculopapular eruption of the face, peripheral vascular disease with necrosis of the fingers and inflammatory anemia with proteinuria. Anti-nuclear, anti-DNA and anti-Sm antibodies positivity, together with minimal change nephritis with mesangial exclusive IgM deposit on renal biopsy and clinical relapse after initially successful steroid therapy, led to the diagnosis of SLE. T. canis infection can trigger systemic lupus but must also be ruled out of the differential diagnosis given its association with autoimmunity.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Nephrology Department.
authors.forename: Michaël
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, Saint-Louis University Hospital, Paris, France, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris.
authors.forename: Emmanuelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bourrat
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Nephrology Department.
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Baudouin
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, Mantes-la-Jolie Hospital, Mantes-la-Jolie, France.
authors.forename: Colette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guillem
authors.affiliation: Anatomopathology Department, Robert-Debré University Hospital, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peuchmaur
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Nephrology Department.
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Deschênes
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Nephrology Department.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fila
mesh_terms: D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology*; D017166:Toxocara canis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine; D015766:Albendazole
keywords: nephropathy; systemic lupus erythematosus; toxocariasis; toxocariasis vasculitis