title: Evaluation of the prevalence and clinical impact of toxocariasis in patients with eosinophilia of unknown origin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Eosinophilia has numerous diverse causes, and in many patients, it is not possible to establish the cause of eosinophilia. Recently, toxocariasis was introduced as one cause of eosinophilia. The aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of toxocariasis and the clinical impact of albendazole treatment for toxocariasis in patients suspected of eosinophilia of unknown origin.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective chart review. After evaluation of cause of eosinophilia, the patients suspected of eosinophilia of unknown origin performed immunoglobulin G antibody specific assay for theToxocara canislarval antigen by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study evaluated 113 patients, 69 patients (61%) were suspected of eosinophilia of unknown origin. Among these 69 patients, the frequency ofT. canisinfection was very high (45 patients, 65.2%), and albendazole treatment for 45 eosinophilia with toxocariasis was highly effective for a cure of eosinophilia than no albendazole group regardless of steroid (82.3%,p= 0.007). Furthermore, among the nonsteroid treated small group (19 patients), albendazole treatment for eosinophilia were more effective than no albendazole group, too (83.3% vs. 28.6 %,p= 0.045).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of toxocariasis was high among patients suspected of eosinophilia of unknown origin; therefore, evaluation forT. canisinfection is recommended for patients with eosinophilia of unknown origin. Furthermore, for patients suspected of eosinophilia of unknown origin who have positive results forT. canis, albendazole treatment may be considered a valuable treatment option.
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Medical Sciences, Chosun University College of Health Science, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Hong-Beum
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun-Hyung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Chosun University Graduate School of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung-Seok
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Gon
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017681:Hypereosinophilic Syndrome / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D017166:Toxocara canis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D015766:Albendazole
keywords: Abendazol; Eosinophilia; Hypereosinophilic syndrome; Toxocariosis