Abstract
Human toxocarosis is one of the most widespread and prevalent helminthic zoonosis in many countries, including Slovakia. The aim was to evaluate the usefulness of IgA anti-Toxocara antibody detection in the serodiagnosis of toxocarosis. The levels of specific IgA antibodies were determined by excretory-secretory (ES)-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The IgA seropositivity in IgG anti-Toxocara seropositive patients (n = 52) was 32.7% and found to be highest in the oldest age groups (P = 0.026). The presence of IgA in suspected patients for toxocarosis were evaluated in respect to some characteristics of examined persons. Substantially higher IgA seropositivity was detected in patients with increased total IgE (44.8%) than in subjects with a normal level of IgE (17.4%; P = 0.036). No associations (P > 0.05) were found between IgA seropositivity and sex, level of specific IgG antibodies, avidity of IgG, eosinophilia, domicile, geophagia, traveling abroad, dog/cat ownership, or clinical symptoms. The IgA-ELISA showed sensitivity of 57.1% and specificity of 100%. Mild correlations (r = 0.302, r = 0.305, r = − 0.409) were observed between the levels of anti-Toxocara IgA antibodies and age, the amounts of eosinophils and IgA antibody levels, the amounts of eosinophils, and the values of IgG avidity, respectively. The presence of anti-Toxocara IgA may facilitate the diagnosis of toxocarosis and may well be useful for the determination of acute Toxocara infection. Moreover, this test should be accompanied by other immunological markers of examined patients (e.g., increased total IgE, eosinophilia, and low-avidity IgG antibodies).
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Antolová D, Reiterová K, Miterpáková M, Stanko M, Dubinský P (2004) Circulation of Toxocara spp. in suburban and rural ecosystems in the Slovak Republic. Vet Parasitol 126(3):317–324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2004.08.005
Antolová D, Jarčuška P, Janičko M, Madarasová-Gecková A, Halánová M, Čisláková L, Kalinová Z, Reiterová K, Škutová M, Pella D, Mareková M, Hepameta Team (2015) Seroprevalence of human Toxocara infections in the Roma and non-Roma populations of Eastern Slovakia: a cross-sectional study. Epidemiol Infect 143(10):2249–2258. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268814003665
Boldiš V, Ondriska F, Špitalská E, Reiterová K (2015) Immunodiagnostic approaches for the detection of human toxocarosis. Exp Parasitol 159:252–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exppara.2015.10.006
Butcher R (1999) Stray dogs: a worldwide problem. J Small Anim Pract 40:458–459
Carvalho EAA, Rocha RL (2014) Visceral larva migrans syndromes associated with toxocarosis: epidemiology, clinical and laboratory aspects of human toxocarosis. Curr Trop Med Rep 1(1):74–79. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40475-013-0011-6
Chapa-Ruiz MR, Gonzalez-Pantaleon D, Morales-Galan A, Contreras-Ramos A, Salinas-Tobon MR, Martinez Y, Zamora R (2001) A follow-up study of the human class and subclass antibody response developed against the adult stage of Trichinella spiralis. Parasite 8:163–167
Cooper PJ (2008) Toxocara canis infection: an important and neglected environmental risk factor for asthma? Clin Exp Allergy 38(4):551–553. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2222.2008.02934.x
Dakkak A (2010) Echinococcosis/hydatisosis: a severe threat in Mediterranean countries. Vet Parasitol 174(1-2):2–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.08.009
Daryani A, Sharif M, Amouei A, Gholami S (2009) Prevalence of Toxocara canis in stray dogs, northern Iran. Pak J Biol Sci 12(14):1031–1035
Decoster A, Caron A, Darcy F, Capron A (1988) IgA antibodies against P30 as markers of congenital and acute toxoplasmosis. Lancet 2(8620):1104–1107
Del Prete GF, De Carli M, Ricci M, Romagnani S (1991) Helper activity for immunoglobulin synthesis of T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th2 human T cell clones: the help of Th1 clones is limited by their cytolytic capacity. J Exp Med 174(4):809–813. https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.174.4.809
Dent LA, Daly CM, Mayrhofer G, Zimmerman T, Hallett A, Bignold LP, Creaney J, Parsons JC (1999) Interleukin-5 transgenic mice show enhanced resistance to primary infections with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis but not primary infections with Toxocara canis. Infect Immun 67(2):989–993
Dubinský P, Akao N, Reiterová K, Konaková G (2000) Comparison of the sensitive screening kit with two ELISA sets for detection of anti-Toxocara antibodies. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health 31(2):394–398
Dziemian E, Zarnowska H, Kołodziej-Sobocińska M, Machnicka B (2008) Determination of the relative avidity of the specific IgG antibodies in human toxocarosis. Parasite Immunol 30(3):187–190. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3024.2007.01010.x
Eberhard ML, Alfano E (1998) Adult Toxocara cati infections in US children: report of four cases. Am J Trop Med Hyg 59(3):404–406. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.1998.59.404
Elefant GR, Shimizu SH, Sanchez MCA, Jacob CMA, Ferreira AW (2006) A serological follow-up of toxocarosis patients after chemotherapy based on the detection of IgG, IgA and IgE antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. J Clin Lab Anal 20(4):164–172. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcla.20126
Elefant GR, Shimizu SH, Jacob CMA, Sanchez MCA, Ferreira AW (2011) Potential immunological markers for diagnosis and therapeutic assessment of toxocarosis. Rev Inst Med Trop São Paulo 53(2):61–65. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652011000200001
Espinoza YA, Huapaya PH, Roldán WH, Jiménez S, Arce Z, Lopez E (2008) Clinical and serological evidence of Toxocara infection in school children from Morrope District, Lambayeque, Peru. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 50(2):101–105. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652008000200007
Fenoy S, Rodero M, Pons E, Aguila C, Cuéllar C (2008) Follow-up of antibody avidity in BALB/c mice infected with Toxocara canis. Parasitology 135(6):725–733. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182008004368
Fillaux J, Magnaval JF (2013) Laboratory diagnosis of human toxocarosis. Vet Parasitol 193(4):327–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.12.028
Genta RM, Gatti S, Linke MJ, Cevini C, Scaglia M (1988) Endemic strongyloidosis in northern Italy: clinical and immunological aspects. Q J Med 68(257):679–690
Havasiová K, Dubinský P, Štefančíková A (1993) A seroepidemiological study of human Toxocara infection in the Slovak Republic. J Helminthol 67(04):291–296. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022149X00013298
Hogarth-Scott RS, Johansson SG, Bennich H (1969) Antibodies to Toxocara in the sera of visceral larva migrans patients: the significance of raised levels of IgE. Clin Exp Immunol 5(6):619–625
Hubner J, Uhliková M, Leissová M (2001) Diagnosis of the early phase of larval toxocarosis using IgG avidity. Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol 50:67–70
Ishida MM, Rubinsky-Elefant G, Ferreira AW, Hoshino-Shimizu S, Vaz AJ (2003) Helminth antigens (Taenia solium, Taenia crassiceps, Toxocara canis, Schistosoma mansoni and Echinococcus granulosus) and cross-reactivities in human infections and immunized animals. Acta Trop 89(1):73–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2003.09.005
Johansson SG, Mellbin T, Vahlquist B (1968) Immunoglobulin levels in Ethiopian preschool children with special reference to high concentrations of immunoglobulin E (IgND). Lancet 1(7552):1118–1121
Kayes SG (1997) Human toxocarosis and the visceral larva migrans syndrome: correlative immunopathology. Chem Immunol 66:99–124. https://doi.org/10.1159/000058667
Magnaval JF, Fabre R, Maurières P, Charlet JP, de Larrard B (1992) Evaluation of an immunoenzymatic assay detecting specific anti-Toxocara immunoglobulin E for diagnosis and posttreatment follow-up of human toxocarosis. J Clin Microbiol 30(9):2269–2274
Magnaval JF, Michault A, Calon N, Charlet JP (1994) Epidemiology of human toxocarosis in La Reunion. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 88(5):531–533. https://doi.org/10.1016/0035-9203(94)90148-1
Magnaval JF, Glickman LT, Dorchies P, Morassin B (2001) Highlights of human toxocarosis. Korean J Parasit 39(1):1–11. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2001.39.1.1
Maizels GM, Page AP (1990) Surface associated glycoproteins from Toxocara canis larval parasites. Acta Trop 47(5-6):355–364. https://doi.org/10.1016/0001-706X(90)90036-Y
Markechová D, Tirpáková A, Stehlíková B (2011) Fundamentals of statistics for educators, faculty of natural sciences UKF Nitra (ed) Nitra (in Slovak)
Mendez-Loredo B, Martinez Y, Zamora R, Chapa-Ruiz R, Salinas-Tobon R (2001) Class specific antibody responses to newborn larva antigens during Trichinella spiralis human infection. Parasite 8:152–157
Musa BO, Onyemelukwe GC (2000) Secretory IgA and complement levels in patients with hookworm infection in Zaria. Afr J Med Sci 29:111–114
Ondriska F, Mačuhová K, Melicherová J, Reiterová K, Valentová D, Beladičová V, Halgoš J (2013) Toxocarosis in urban environment of western Slovakia. Helminthologia 50:261–268
Pinelli E, Withagen C, Fonville M, Verlaan A, Dormans J, Loveren H, Nicoll G, Maizels RM, Giessen J (2005) Persistent airway hyper-responsiveness and inflammation in Toxocara canis-infected BALB/c mice. Clin Exp Allergy 35(6):826–832. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2222.2005.02250.x
Prestes-Carneiro LE, Santarém V, Zago SCS, Miguel NA, Farias SF, Villas R, Vaz AJ, Rubinsky-Elefant G (2008) Sero-epidemiology of toxocarosis in a rural settlement in São Paulo state, Brazil. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 102(4):347–356. https://doi.org/10.1179/136485908X278801
Primavera KSC, Hoshino-Shimizu S, Umezawa ES, Peres BA, Manigot DA, Camargo ME (1988) Immunoglobulin a antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi antigens in digestive forms of Chagas’ disease. J Clin Microbiol 26(10):2101–2104
Rossi CL, Takahashi EE, Partel CD, Teodoro LG, Silva LJ (1993) Total serum IgE and parasite-specific IgG and IgA antibodies in human strongyloidosis. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 35(4):361–365. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46651993000400010
Smith HV (1993) Antibody reactivity in human toxocarosis. In: Lewis JW, Maizels RM (eds) Toxocara and Toxocarosis. Clinical, epidemiological and molecular perspectives. British Society for Parasitology, London, pp 91–109
Takamoto M, Wang ZX, Watanabe N, Matsuzawa A, Nariuchi H, Sugane K (1998) Eosinophilia, IgE production, and cytokine production by lung T cells in surface CD4-deficient mutant mice infected with Toxocara canis. Immunology 95(1):97–104. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2567.1998.00575.x
Taylor MR, Keane CT, O’Connor P, Mulvihill E, Holland C (1988) The expanded spectrum of toxocaral disease. Lancet 1(8587):692–695
Voslářová E, Passantino A (2012) Stray dog and cat laws and enforcement in Czech Republic and in Italy. Ann Ist Super Sanità 48(1):97–104. https://doi.org/10.4415/ANN_12_01_16
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Boldiš, V., Ondriska, F. & Lipková, S. Assessment of the diagnostic value of specific anti-Toxocara IgA in Slovakian patients suspected to have toxocarosis. Folia Microbiol 63, 345–351 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-017-0572-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-017-0572-1