Anti-Toxocara antibodies in patients with suspected visceral larva migrans and evaluation of environmental risk of human infection in Belgrade, Serbia

Ivana Colovic-Calovski,A.M. Dzamic,Z. Kulisic,A. Jekic,O. Stevanovic,Eleonora Dubljanin

doi:10.2298/abs1402545c

Abstract

Toxocariasis is a frequent zoonotic parasitosis in Serbia. The aim of the study was to examine anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in patients with suspected visceral larva migrans (VLM) in Belgrade, and to estimate the prevalence of T. canis eggs in dog fecal deposits collected in green public areas. A total of 145 patients were examined by ELISA. In 26.39% (38/144) of serum samples, T. canis IgG were detected, and in 6 CSF samples, 2 were positive for antibodies. Seropositivity was detected in 26.1% (34/130) adults and 33.3% (5/15) children. A total number of 155 fresh dog feces were collected in five public parks in Belgrade where T. canis eggs were identified with a prevalence of 33.55% (52/155). Based on the high prevalence of parasite eggs, we estimated a high risk of human infection by T. canis eggs in public green areas in Belgrade.

Highlights

Visceral larva migrans (VLM) is a clinical form of human toxocariasis caused by larvae of the nematode Toxocara canis
Contamination of public parks with eggs of T. canis originating from the feces of infected dogs is an issue of public importance and correlates with human toxocariasis
The prevalence of T. canis eggs of 33.55 % in our study clearly shows the sustainability of a high prevalence of Toxocara eggs and the contamination of public areas in Belgrade due to the large amount of stray dogs

Summary

Introduction

Visceral larva migrans (VLM) is a clinical form of human toxocariasis caused by larvae of the nematode Toxocara canis. Other forms of human toxocariasis are covert toxocariasis, ocular larva migrans (OLM) and neural larva migrans. Covert toxocariasis is the most common form of human toxocariasis (Despommier, 2003). The eggs of T. canis can be found in environments contaminated with dog feces. Human infection can occur by ingesting viable embryonated eggs from contaminated sources (e.g., soil). Humans are paratenic hosts and after ingestion, the eggs hatch to release larvae that penetrate the small intestine, enter the circulation with the possibility of invading different organs and encyst in tissues. Wandering of the second-stage larvae through the tissues produces hemorrhage, necrosis and infiltration of lymphocytes and eosinophils (Despommier, 2003).

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