title: Seroprevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Toxocariasis among College Students in Taipei City, Taiwan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infection by Toxocara spp. is known to be significantly associated with partial epilepsy. It has become popular for people to raise dogs/cats as pets and consume roasted meat/viscera, and the status of Toxocara spp. infection, epilepsy awareness, and associated risk factors among the general population are currently unknown in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  A seroepidemiological investigation among 203 college students (CSs), consisting of 110 males and 93 females with an average age of 21.5 ± 1.2 years, was conducted in 2009 in Taipei City. A Western blot analysis based on excretory-secretory antigens derived from Toxocara canis larvae (TcESs) was applied to determine the positivity of serum immunoglobulin G antibodies. A self-administered questionnaire was also given to obtain information about demographic characteristics, epilepsy awareness, and risk factors. A logistic regression model was applied for the statistical analysis using SPSS software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall seropositive rate of Toxocara spp. infection was 8.4% (17/203). As to epilepsy awareness, a non-significantly higher seroprevalence was found in CSs who claimed to "know" about epilepsy compared to those who did not know (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It appears that appropriate educational programs are urgently needed to provide correct knowledge related to the prevention and control measures against Toxocara spp. infections to avoid potential threats by this parasite to the general population in Taiwan.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan ; Dept. of International Medical Affairs, Taipei Medical University-Shuang-Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Cheng-Yan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology.
authors.forename: Yueh-Lun
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Molecular Parasitology and Tropical Diseases, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Molecular Parasitology and Tropical Diseases, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Po-Ching
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Molecular Parasitology and Tropical Diseases, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ting-Wu
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Molecular Parasitology and Tropical Diseases, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-Chin
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Molecular Parasitology and Tropical Diseases, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Mei
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Molecular Parasitology and Tropical Diseases, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-Chie
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Dept . of General Medicine, ; Dept . of Infection Control Science, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Molecular Parasitology and Tropical Diseases, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Kwung
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Fan
keywords: College students; Epilepsy awareness; Taiwan; Toxocara spp.; Western blot