Clinical and laboratorial features of visceral toxocariasis in infancy

Authors

  • Cristina M. A. Jacob University of São Paulo; Department of Pediatrics of the Hospital das Clinicas
  • Antonio C. Pastorino University of São Paulo; Department of Pediatrics of the Hospital das Clinicas
  • Benedito A. Peres Institute of Tropical Medicine
  • Elizabete O. Mello Institute of Tropical Medicine
  • Yassuhiko Okay University of São Paulo; Department of Pediatrics of the Hospital das Clinicas
  • Gabriel W. Oselka University of São Paulo; Department of Pediatrics of the Hospital das Clinicas

Keywords:

Toxocariasis, Visceral larva migrans syndrome, infancy

Abstract

Forty children with a diagnosis of Visceral Toxocariasis were evaluated prospectively from February 1982 to June 1989. Diagnosis was established by clinical, laboratorial and serological (ELISA - ES Toxocara canis antigen) evaluations. A great clinical polymorphism was found in our patients, ranging from unspecific or absent manifestations to an exhuberant symptomatology. The laboratorial findings were: leukocytosis,eosinophilia and elevation of serum gammaglobulin and isohemagglutinin levels. No significant relationship between clinical findings and laboratorial parameters was found. Serology (ELISA) was a method of great diagnostic support but did not show a correlation with clinical and laboratorial findings in this study. There was a significant relationship between pulmonary manifestations and the presence of signs and/or symptoms, when the patients were sent to us. Our findings, especially the high incidence of pulmonary manifestations, suggest that Visceral Toxocariasis has to be included in the differential diagnostic of children with pulmonary manifestations, characteristic epidemiological data and associated eosinophilia.

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Published

1994-02-01

Issue

Section

Parasitology

How to Cite

Jacob, C. M. A., Pastorino, A. C., Peres, B. A., Mello, E. O., Okay, Y., & Oselka, G. W. (1994). Clinical and laboratorial features of visceral toxocariasis in infancy . Revista Do Instituto De Medicina Tropical De São Paulo, 36(1), 19-26. https://revistas.usp.br/rimtsp/article/view/29116