Investigation of the Toxocariasis diagnosis in children attended in the pediatric care hospital

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to associate parasitological and hematological tests with the possible diagnosis of toxocariasis in children from Hospital Escola Wladimir Arruda's pediatric care, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. METHODS: Observational, retrospective cross-sectional study, carried out from an active search on medical records of children assisted from Hospital Escola Wladimir Arruda's pediatric care. Data collection was conducted in the first semester of 2021. Medical records of children aged 0-15 years seen at HEWA were reviewed and information was collected regarding signs and symptoms of parasitic infections, data on blood tests, request for parasitological examination and serology for toxocariasis. RESULTS: The research rated 101 medical records of children aged 0 to 15 years. Only 6 (5.4%) presented as diagnostic hypothesis about some type of parasitosis, however none of these had specific diagnosis request for human toxocariasis, as well as request stool examination or other specific examination for other parasitosis. Four (66.6%) of them had blood count data, among these 2 (33.3%) of them show data about eosinophil and leukocyte, which were with no alteration. Half of the suspected cases had dogs at home. CONCLUSION: The lack of protocol or even a specific script to be followed in parasitosis suspected case and especially toxocariasis reflects absence of research on this parasitosis.