[Toxocariasis--a neglected ubiquitous helminthiasis in children and adolescents]

More than 40 years ago, Toxocara ssp. was identified as the cause of larva migrans visceralis and ocular larva migrans, which mainly affect infants and children. Although widespread in most parts of the world, the parasitic disease is rarely diagnosed in Germany. Focusing on clinical and pathophysiological similarities with allergic asthma of childhood, the main epidemiological, clinical, therapeutical, and pathophysiological aspects of toxocariasis will be reviewed in the following survey.