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[Clinical course of toxocarosis in children]

Małgorzata Niedworok1, Izabela Płaneta-Małecka

  • 1I Klinika Pediatrii i Gastroenterologii, Instytutu Centrum Zdrowia Matki Polki, Lódź.

Wiadomosci Parazytologiczne
|July 27, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Toxocara canis infection in children often presents with non-specific symptoms like abdominal pain and fever. This parasitic infection impacts the immune system, showing altered eosinophil and lymphocyte levels in infected children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Toxocara canis (T. canis) infection, or toxocarosis, is a parasitic disease.
  • Clinical presentation of toxocarosis in children can be varied and non-specific.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To monitor the clinical course of T. canis infection in children.
  • To assess the impact of T. canis infection on the pediatric immune system.

Main Methods:

  • Study included 52 children diagnosed with T. canis infection and 38 controls.
  • Clinical examinations, laboratory tests (hematology, biochemistry), and immunological parameters were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Common symptoms observed were abdominal pain, subfebrile temperature, and lymphadenitis.
  • Infected children showed increased eosinophils and immunoglobulin E, with decreased CD3+, CD4+ lymphocytes, and a lower CD4/CD8 ratio.

Conclusions:

  • Toxocarosis diagnosis in children is challenging due to diverse and non-characteristic symptoms.
  • Immune system alterations are significant in pediatric toxocarosis, necessitating broader differential diagnoses.

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