Editorial - Journal of Parasitic Diseases: Diagnosis and Therapy (2021) Volume 6, Issue 4

Toxocariasis.

Toxocariasis is one of the most prevalent zoonotic helminth diseases in the world, having a greater incidence in tropical and rural areas. It is caused by the ascarids, Toxocara canis, the common roundworm of dogs, and possibly also Toxocara cati, the roundworm of cats, in their larval stages. Toxocariasis in people can range from asymptomatic infection to serious organ damage induced by larval migration to major organs (visceral larva migrans). Although the larvae commonly migrate to the brain in experimental animals, clinical involvement of the nervous system in visceral larva migrans owing to Toxocara is considered to be rare. Meningo-encephalitis, space-occupying lesion, cerebral vasculitis, epilepsy, and myelitis are all neurological diseases caused by CNS migration. Several studies have found significant T. canis seropositivity rates among epilepsy patients, indicating that toxocariasis may have a role in the occurrence of epilepsy in endemic locations. The history, blood tests, including differential blood cell count, CSF studies, including detection of antibodies anti-Toxocara canis, and neuroimaging are used to diagnose neurotoxocariasis. Toxocariasis cerebral symptoms are treated with benzimidazole components, same as the visceral manifestations

Author(s): Shawn Kruger

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