• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제39권1호
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• pp.1-11
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• 2001

Human toxocariasis is a helminthozoonosis due to the migration of Toxocara species larvae through human organism. Humans become infected by ingesting either embryonated eggs from soil (geophagia, pica), dirty hands or raw vegetables, or larvae from undercooked giblets. The diagnosis relies upon sensitive immunological methods (ELISA or western-blot) which use Toxocara excretory-secretory antigens . Seroprevalence is high in developed countries, especially in rural areas, and also in some tropical islands. The clinical spectrum of the disease comprises four syndromes, namely visceral larva migrans, ocular larva migrans, and the more recently recognized "common" (in adults) and "covert"(in children) pictures. Therapy of ocular toxocariasis is primarily based upon corticosteroids use, when visceral larva migrans and few cases of common or covert toxocariasis can be treated by anthelmintics whose the most efficient appeared to be diethylcarbamazine. When diagnosed , all of these syndromes require thorough prevention of recontamination (especially by deworming pets) and sanitary education.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.137-140
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• 2004

Ocular toxocariasis named also ocular larva migrans is caused by larvae of the roundworm Toxocara spp. The purpose of this study was to find out the seroprevalence of Toxocara antibodies in patients suspected of ocular toxocariasis. Between January 2001 and December 2003, sera from 239 ocular patients, aged 3 to 80 years, were examined by ELISA and confirmed by Western blot test. Out of the 239 patients, 172 (72%) were seronegative and 67 (28%) were Toxocara seropositive; 95% CI (22-34%). The median age of Toxocara seropositive patients was 37.6 years. There was no significant difference in the number of Toxocara positive sera between the younger age group (${\leq}14$ years) and the older age group (＞14 years), p＞0.05. A high rate of Toxocara seropositivity in ocular patients should alert the ophthalmologists in Slovenia to include toxocariasis in the differential diagnosis of eye diseases more frequently.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제62권2호
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• pp.243-250
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• 2024

We investigated organ specific Toxocara canis larval migration in mice infected with T. canis larvae. We observed the worm burden and systemic immune responses. Three groups of BALB/c mice (n=5 each) were orally administered 1,000 T. canis 2nd stage larvae to induce larva migrans. Mice were sacrificed at 1, 3, and 5 weeks post-infection. Liver, lung, brain, and eye tissues were collected. Tissue from 2 mice per group was digested for larval count, while the remaining 3 mice underwent histological analysis. Blood hematology and serology were evaluated and compared to that in a control uninfected group (n=5) to assess the immune response. Cytokine levels in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were also analyzed. We found that, 1 week post-infection, the mean parasite load in the liver (72±7.1), brain (31±4.2), lungs (20±5.7), and eyes (2±0) peaked and stayed constant until the 3 weeks. By 5-week post-infection, the worm burden in the liver and lungs significantly decreased to 10±4.2 and 9±5.7, respectively, while they remained relatively stable in the brain and eyes (18±4.2 and 1±0, respectively). Interestingly, ocular larvae resided in all retinal layers, without notable inflammation in outer retina. Mice infected with T. canis exhibited elevated levels of neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils, and immunoglobulin E. At 5 weeks post-infection, interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-13 levels were elevated in BAL fluid. Whereas IL-4, IL-10, IL-17, and interferon-γ levels in BAL fluid were similar to that in controls. Our findings demonstrate that a small portion of T. canis larvae migrate to the eyes and brain within the first week of infection. Minimal tissue inflammation was observed, probably due to increase of anti-inflammatory cytokines. This study contributes to our understanding of the histological and immunological responses to T. canis infection in mice, which may have implications to further understand human toxocariasis.

• 한국안광학회지
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.447-453
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• 2004

광주광역시 소재 어린이 놀이터 토양에서 채취한 80개의 토양시료와 123개의 견변시료를 통해 Toxocara canis 충란에 의한 오염 실태를 조사하였다. 어린이 놀이터에서 수집한 토양시료의 15%에서 Toxocara canis의 충란이 검출되었으며, 공원(25%)과 주택가 공터(17%) 토양의 충란 검출률이 비교적 높게 나타났다. 놀이터 토양의 충란 오염률은 봄 가을이 여름 겨울보다 상대적으로 높았으며 오염률이 높은 공원과 주택가 공터에서 계절적 변동폭이 컸다. 놀이터에서 수집한 총 123개의 견변에 대한 충란 검출 결과 검출률은 31%로 나타났으며 토양시료의 검출률(21%) 보다 높게 나타났다.

• 농촌의학ㆍ지역보건
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.295-303
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• 1998

Toxocariasis is a parasitic zoonosis caused by infestation of humans with larvae of Toxocara canis, the common roundworm in dogs. Two syndromes have been identified : visceral larva migrans and ocular toxocariasis. In this study we were characterized proteinase activity in crude extracts from liver, lung, kidney and heart of mice infected with Toxocara canis and the dynamics of their changes in different stages of disease. The optimal pH was 5.5. In liver of mice infected with Toxocara canis, the maximun activity of proteinase was observed in 5 day post infection. In lung, the activity reached its maximun on 5th day in A group (infected with 100 embryonated eggs), and on 5th week in B group (infected with 50 embryonated eggs). In kidney, the maximum activity was shown at 6th week in A group, and in B group was shown at 10th day. In early infection, the activity reached its maximun in heart of mice infected with Toxocara canis. As we could see, the dynamics of the changes of proteinase activity in mice is similar in the case of the disease with other biochemical and immunological indices observed in toxocariasis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제59권3호
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• pp.189-225
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• 2021

The use of albendazole and mebendazole, i.e., benzimidazole broad-spectrum anthelmintics, in treatment of parasitic infections, as well as cancers, is briefly reviewed. These drugs are known to block the microtubule systems of parasites and mammalian cells leading to inhibition of glucose uptake and transport and finally cell death. Eventually they exhibit ovicidal, larvicidal, and vermicidal effects on parasites, and tumoricidal effects on hosts. Albendazole and mebendazole are most frequently prescribed for treatment of intestinal nematode infections (ascariasis, hookworm infections, trichuriasis, strongyloidiasis, and enterobiasis) and can also be used for intestinal tapeworm infections (taeniases and hymenolepiasis). However, these drugs also exhibit considerable therapeutic effects against tissue nematode/cestode infections (visceral, ocular, neural, and cutaneous larva migrans, anisakiasis, trichinosis, hepatic and intestinal capillariasis, angiostrongyliasis, gnathostomiasis, gongylonemiasis, thelaziasis, dracunculiasis, cerebral and subcutaneous cysticercosis, and echinococcosis). Albendazole is also used for treatment of filarial infections (lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, loiasis, mansonellosis, and dirofilariasis) alone or in combination with other drugs, such as ivermectin or diethylcarbamazine. Albendazole was tried even for treatment of trematode (fascioliasis, clonorchiasis, opisthorchiasis, and intestinal fluke infections) and protozoan infections (giardiasis, vaginal trichomoniasis, cryptosporidiosis, and microsporidiosis). These drugs are generally safe with few side effects; however, when they are used for prolonged time (>14-28 days) or even only 1 time, liver toxicity and other side reactions may occur. In hookworms, Trichuris trichiura, possibly Ascaris lumbricoides, Wuchereria bancrofti, and Giardia sp., there are emerging issues of drug resistance. It is of particular note that albendazole and mebendazole have been repositioned as promising anti-cancer drugs. These drugs have been shown to be active in vitro and in vivo (animals) against liver, lung, ovary, prostate, colorectal, breast, head and neck cancers, and melanoma. Two clinical reports for albendazole and 2 case reports for mebendazole have revealed promising effects of these drugs in human patients having variable types of cancers. However, because of the toxicity of albendazole, for example, neutropenia due to myelosuppression, if high doses are used for a prolonged time, mebendazole is currently more popularly used than albendazole in anti-cancer clinical trials.