Skip to main content
Log in

A serological survey of toxocariasis in patients and healthy donors in Barcelona (Spain)

  • Published:
European Journal of Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The ELISA test, using excretory-secretory antigen from larvae II of Toxocara canis, was applied on 1018 sera (793 from adults and 225 from pediatrics) distributed in: A) patients with an hypereosinophilia where the ethiological agent was undetermined (99); B) patients with ocular complaints compatible with an ocular toxocariasis (116); C) patients with hidatidosis (97); D) patient with other non-toxocaral helminthiasis (34); E) patients with other clinical features (468) and F) healthy donors (204).

Over 3,6 % of sera showed elevated levels of antibodies reacting with T. canis antigen. The prevalence of seropositivity was statistically higher in patients with eosinophilia (14,1%) (α < 0,001) and ocular complaints (6%) (0,025 > α > 0,01) than in the control group (1%). In the overall seropositivity from pediatrics did not differ from that of the adults.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Anonimous (1980): Toxocariasis. JAMA 244: 17.

  2. Ares M.E, Perez del Molino M.L., Villacorta M.I. and Fandiño M.T. (1987): Seroepidemiologia de la Toxocariasis humana mediante la tecnica de inmunofluorescencia indirecta. - A.P.E., V Congreso Nacional de Parasitologia, Salamanca, 233–234.

  3. Borg D.A. and Woodruff W. (1973): Prevalence of infective ova of Toxocara species in public places. -Br. Med. J. 4: 470–472..

    Google Scholar 

  4. Tenoy Rodriguez S., Cuellar del Hoyo C. and Guillen Llera J.L. (1987): Estudio de posibles reacciones cruzadas del antigeno excretor-secretor de Toxocara canis frente a otros ascáridos y Proteina C-reactiva. -A.P.E., V Congreso Nacional de Parasitologia, Salamanca, 401–402.

  5. Flentje B., Wittwer B. and Padelt H. (1983): Serologische Diagnostik der Larva migrans-Infektion beim Menschen. - Dtsch. Gesundheitswes. 38: 1059–1061.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Gallego J. (1982): Animales de compañia y antropozoonosis parasitarias en el medio urbano. -Pub. Real Academia de Farmacia, Barcelona.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Gallego J. and Pumarola A. (1952): El parasitismo por helmintos en los perros vagabundos de Barcelona. -Rev. lber. Parasitol. 12: 205–213.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Glickman L.T. and Schantz P.M. (1981): Epidemiology and pathogenesis of zoonotic Toxocariasis. -Epidemiol. Rev. 3: 230–250.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Guillen J.L., Fenoy S., Cuellar C. and Aguila C. (1987): Seroprevalence of anti-Toxocara antibodies in Spain.- III Mediterranean Conference on Parasitology, Jerusalem, 94.

  10. Knapen F.van, Leusden J.van, Polderman A.M. and Franchimont J.H. (1983): Visceral larva migrans: examinations by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of human sera for antibodies to excretory-secretory antigens of the second-stage larvae of Toxocara canis. - Z. Parasitenk. 69: 113–118.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Maizels R.M., Savigny D.H.de and Ogilvie B.M. (1984): Characterization of surface and excretory-secretory antigens of Toxocara canis infective larvae.- Parasite Immunol. 6: 23–37.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Nicholas W.L., Stewart A.C. and Walker J.C. (1986): Toxocariasis: a serological survey of blood donors in the Australian Capital Territory together with observations on the risks of infection. - Trans. r. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 80: 217–221.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Ree G.H., Voller A. and Rowland G.A.K. (1984): Toxocariasis in the British Isles 1982–3. - Br. Med. J. 288: 628–629.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Riera C., Muñoz C., Portús M. and Prats G. (1987): Puesta a punto de una técnica ELISA para la detección de anticuerpos anti-Toxocara. Ensayo en modelo experimental murino y su aplicación en el diagnóstico serológico de la “larva migrans” visceral humana. - Rev. Iber. Parasitol., Vol. Extra: 219–224.

  15. Riera C. and Portús M. (1988): Diagnóstico de la Toxocariasis human mediante ELISA con antigeno secretor-excretor de larvas 11 de Toxocara canis. -Rev. Iber. Parasitol. 48: 95–100.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Savigny D.H.de (1975): In vitro maintenance of Toxocara canis larvae and a simple method for the production of Toxocara ES antigen for use in serodiagnostic tests for visceral larva migrans. - J. Parasitol. 61: 781–782.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Savigny D.H.de, Voller A. and Woodruff A.W. (1979): Toxocariasis: serological diagnosis by enzyme immunoassay. - J. Clin. Path. 32: 284–288.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Simon M.F. and Conde G.L. (1987): Datos epidemiologicos sobre la Toxocariosis y larva visceral emigrante en la provincia de Salamanca. - A.P.E., V Congreso Nacional de Parsitologia, Salamanca, 237–238.

  19. Worley G., Green J.A., Frothingham T.E., Sturner R.A., Walls K.W., Pakalnis V.A. and Ellis G.S.Jr. (1984): Toxocara canis infection: clinical and epidemiological associations with seropositivity in kindergarten children. - J. Infect. Dis. 149: 591–597.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Portús, M., Riera, C. & Prats, G. A serological survey of toxocariasis in patients and healthy donors in Barcelona (Spain). Eur J Epidemiol 5, 224–227 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00156835

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00156835

Key words

Navigation