Clinical and serological evidence of Toxocara infection in school children from Morrope District, Lambayeque, Peru Evidências clínicas e sorologicas de infecção por Toxocara em escolares do Distrito de Morrope, Lambayeque, Peru

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
• Main Authors: Yrma A. Espinoza, Pedro H. Huapaya, William H. Roldán, Susana Jiménez, Zhandra Arce, Elmer Lopez
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 2008
• Subjects: Toxocariasis; Frequency; ELISA test; Children; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652008000200007; https://doaj.org/article/21bc026c412f437e8e16598b001bbd5c

The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of human toxocariosis in a child population from Morrope district, Lambayeque, Peru. From October to December 2005, 182 school children (96 male and 86 female) were studied. Blood samples were collected for Toxocara ELISA-IgG test and hematological examination. Additionally, stool samples were collected for coproparasitological examination to check cross reactions. We found frequency of positives in 32.4% (59/182) with a significant higher proportion of positivity in male children (p < 0.00001). 71.2% of the children with positive serology (52 male and seven female), were between five and 10 years old, 77.96% had respiratory symptoms, 61.02% had ocular manifestations, 38.98% had hepatic symptoms, 38.98% had mild or moderate eosinophilia, signs statistically associated with seropositivity. 83.5% of studied population had some intestinal parasite, such as: Blastocystis hominis (53.3%), Giardia lamblia (31.3%), Entamoeba coli (29.1%), Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar (1.1%), Hymenolepis nana (5.49%), and Ascaris lumbricoides (3.3%), but they had not any association with serology results. The ownership of dogs or/and cats were significantly associated with seropositivity to anti-Toxocara antibodies although the presence of such pets within the house was not. In conclusion, clinical and serological evidence of Toxocara infection exists in the studied population. O propósito do presente trabalho foi estimar a freqüência da toxocaríase humana em crianças do distrito de Morrope, Lamabayeque, Perú. Nos meses de outubro a dezembro de 2005, 182 escolares (96 meninos e 86 meninas) foram estudados. Coletaram-se amostras de sangue para a análise hematológica e imunológica pelo teste de ELISA-IgG-Toxocara e amostras fecais para o exame parasitológico. A freqüência geral da população foi de 32,4% (59/182) com proporção significativamente maior de positividade nos meninos. Das crianças com resultado positivo ao teste sorológico (52 meninos e sete meninas), 71,2% tinham entre ...