Toxocarosis in children: unresolved issues of clinic, diagnosis and treatment

  • Pavel A. Aleksandrov O-Tri Medical Center (Treatment and Preventive Center of the St. Petersburg Institute of Restorative Medicine and Rehabilitation OOO (limited liability company) 0009-0008-8527-4903
  • Nikanor V. Lavrov Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University; Institute of Experimental Medicine 0000-0002-3622-9160
  • Adelia R. Iskalieva Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University 0009-0005-2140-4084

Abstract

Toxocariasis is a widespread zoonotic parasitic invasion, with a fecal-oral transmission mechanism, occurring in humans exclusively in the form of tissue parasitism of the larval stage of Toxocara spp. (biological dead end) and manifests itself in the form of toxic-allergic reactions of varying severity and multiple organ lesions, that depends on the number and location of the parasites. It is more common for children due to regular contact with soil when they play in public parks and playgrounds contaminated with Toxocara eggs, that have tendency to a long-term relapsing course. There is no doubt about the existence of clinical manifest toxocariasis, which is manifested by fever, nonproductive cough, allergic rashes and hypereosinophilia in combination with a high level of antibodies to toxocariasis, however, there are still conflicting data on the impact on the general health of children who are seropositive for toxocariasis with low coefficients, in the absence of a significant increase in the level of peripheral blood eosinophils, i.e. the so-called “toxocara carrier”. It is an important task in practical healthcare to update the concept of low-intensity, because of increasing number of children with immune-related disorders, increased allergenic background, and skin diseases. Toxocara infestation. The article provides literature review of the problem of identifying, clinical and laboratory assessment of the course of toxocariasis and toxocara carriage, the impact of these conditions on the health and premorbid background of children, including children with low level of specific antibodies, and big choice of etiotropic therapy.