Seroepidemiological study of Toxocara infection in Nepal

Seroepidemiological study of Toxocara infection in Nepalese people aged more than fourteen years was carried out by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using T. canis soluble embryonated egg antigen. Of the total 200 subjects included in this study, 162 (81%) were found to possess antibodies to Toxocara spp. Males showed higher (85%) antibody positive rates than females (77%). Inhabitants of Kathmandu valley showed higher antibody positive rates (84%) compared with those living outside of the valley (78%). These differences, however, were not significant statistically (p > 0.05). Ethnically, Newar, Rai/Limbu, Tamang/Sherpa, Brahmin/Chhetri, Jha/Yadavs, and others (Kami, Damai) showed Toxocara antibody positive rates of 85, 85, 83, 70, 77 and 100%, respectively. Half of the Toxocara antibody positive subjects (49%) showed an elevated level (two plus) of antibody.