title: Diagnostic Value of the Serum Anti-Toxocara IgG Titer for Ocular Toxocariasis in Patients with Uveitis at a Tertiary Hospital in Korea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the prevalence of ocular toxocariasis (OT) in patients with uveitis of unknown etiology who visited a tertiary hospital in South Korea and assessed the success of serum anti-Toxocara immunoglobulin G (IgG) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as a diagnostic test for OT.
  
  
  METHODS
  The records of consecutive patients with intraocular inflammation of unknown etiology were reviewed. All participants underwent clinical and laboratory investigations, including ELISA for serum anti-Toxocara IgG. OT was diagnosed based on typical clinical findings. Clinical characteristics, seropositivity, and IgG titers were compared between patients diagnosed with OT and non-OT uveitis. The seropositivity and the diagnostic value of anti-Toxocara IgG was investigated among patients with different types of uveitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 238 patients with uveitis of unknown etiology, 71 (29.8%) were diagnosed with OT, and 80 (33.6%) had positive ELISA results for serum anti-Toxocara IgG. The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA test were 91.5% (65 / 71) and 91.0% (152 / 167), respectively. The positive predictive value of the serum anti-Toxocara IgG assay was 81.3%. Among patients with anterior, intermediate, posterior, and panuveitis, the prevalence rates of OT were 8.3%, 47.1%, 44.8%, and 7.1%, respectively; the seropositivity percentages were 18.1%, 47.1%, 43.7%, and 17.9%; and the positive predictive values were 38.5%, 95.8%, 92.1%, and 40.0%. The serum anti-Toxocara IgG titer also significantly decreased following albendazole treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OT is a common cause of intraocular inflammation in the tertiary hospital setting. Considering that OT is more prevalent in intermediate and posterior uveitis, and that the positive predictive value of the anti-Toxocara IgG assay is high, a routine test for anti-Toxocara IgG might be necessary for Korean patients with intermediate and posterior uveitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.; Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki Woong
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.; Department of Ophthalmology, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyu Hyung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Se Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Woo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000097:blood*; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000469:parasitology; D002648:Child; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015822:Eye Infections, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D017166:Toxocara canis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014120:Toxocariasis; D014605:Uveitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Toxocariasis; Uveitis