Clinical and biological features of adult toxocariasis

To determine the main clinical signs and symptoms of adult toxocariasis and the relationship between anti-Toxocara canis antibody levels, symptoms, and the other biological parameters.

Prospective study conducted in the interval 2008 - 2011 in a series of 457 adult patients from Moldova, Romania. The ELISA method was used to detect the presence of IgG antibodies against T. canis. Fasting blood samples were collected from all patients who then underwent the following tests by standard methods: hemoglobin, hematocrit, eosinophils, lymphocytes, white blood cell count, SGOT, SGPT.

An IgG titer of 1/100 was most commonly found in case of allergies, physical asthenia, sensation of constriction in the anterior cervical area, right hypochondriac pain, paresthesies, nervousness (anxiety) and lipotimic states; a 1/50 titer was most often associated with hive reactions, dysphonia, lower limb edema, and pale/yellow axy skin. In patients with laterocervical adenopathy the most frequent determinations were 1/100 (34.0%), followed by 1/50 (22.6%).

The statistically significant clinical signs and symptoms may represent a starting point in making a diagnosis of toxocariasis. Of the non-specific laboratory findings we mention: hyperleukocytosis , hypereosinophilia and low hen)atocit, elevated transaminases level having a high sensitivity and specificity. The diagnosis of certainty is made by determining IgG for T. canis or the presence of larvae in the biopsy tissues. Key-