Human toxocariasis - A look at a neglected disease through an epidemiological 'prism'.

Human toxocariasis - A look at a neglected disease through an epidemiological 'prism'. Infect Genet Evol. 2019 Aug 11;:104002 Authors: Rostami A, Ma G, Wang T, Koehler AV, Hofmann A, Chang BCH, Macpherson CN, Gasser RB Abstract Toxocariasis, a disease caused by infection with larvae of Toxocara canis, T. cati and/or congeners, represents clinical syndromes in humans including visceral and ocular larva migrans, neurotoxocariasis and covert/common toxocariasis. It is reported to be one of the most widespread public health and economically important zoonotic parasitic infections that humans share with dogs, wild canids, including foxes, and possibly other mammals. Humans become infected by accidental ingestion of embryonated Toxocara eggs or larvae from tissues from domestic or wild paratenic hosts. Most infections are asymptomatic, and human disease may go unnoticed, as clinical investigation is often not pursued and/or diagnostic testing not conducted. Sometimes toxocariasis can be associated with complications, such as allergic and/or neurological disorders, possibly including cognitive or developmental delays in children. There is no anti-toxocariasis vaccine, and chemotherapy in humans varies, depending on symptoms and location of larvae, and may include the administration of albendazole or mebendazole, together with anti-inflammatory corticosteroids. Some recent studies indicate that toxocariasis is having an increased, adverse im...
Source: Infection, Genetics and Evolution - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Tags: Infect Genet Evol Source Type: research