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Updated: Jul 20, 2026

3-D Imaging and Analysis of Neurons Infected In Vivo with Toxoplasma gondii
Published on: December 9, 2014
Toxocara infection is not associated with viral or bacterial central nervous system infection in children
C Musso1, E M Lemos, A M C Tsanaclis
1Infectious Diseases Unit, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil.
Background:
Helminth infections with larvae that migrate through the tissues have been considered risk factors for CNS infections.
Objectives:
The present work was designed to investigate the prevalence of anti- TOXOCARA antibodies in the serum and/or in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of children with infectious meningitis or meningoencephalitis and of a control group, without meningitis, admitted at the Children's Hospital NS Glória, Vitória, ES, Brazil.
Patients And Methods:
After adsorption with ASCARIS LUMBRICOIDES antigen, serum and/or cerebrospinal fluid of 381 inpatients (201 with meningitis and 180 without meningitis) were submitted to an ELISA IgG, for anti- TOXOCARA antibodies using secretion/excretion antigens of third stage larvae of T. CANIS.
Results:
No significant differences between the meningitis and the control groups were observed in the frequencies of positive tests for anti- TOXOCARA antibodies in the serum or CSF (respectively for the meningitis and control group: 33/103 or 32 % and 52/152 or 34.2 % for the serum, p = 0.821; 48/184 or 26.1 % and 23/121 or 19.0 % for the CSF; p = 0.196.
Conclusion:
The results demonstrated that TOXOCARA infection, evaluated by detection of anti- TOXOCARA antibodies in serum or CSF, is not associated with viral or bacterial meningitis or meningoencephalitis in children in our country.
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