Neglected toxocariasis among eosinophilic children: A crosssectional study in Shibin El Kom, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt | ||
| Parasitologists United Journal | ||
| Article 3, Volume 17, Issue 1, April 2024, Pages 18-23 PDF (377.16 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/puj.2024.263033.1235 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Marwa Gouda* 1; Ahmed Abdelgawad2; Marwa Rizk3; Hind AboShabaan4; Asmaa Ibrahim5 | ||
| 1Departments of Clinical and Molecular Parasitology,National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt | ||
| 2Departments of Clinical Pathology , Pediatric Hepatology, Gastroenterology National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt | ||
| 3Departments of Nutrition , National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt | ||
| 4Departments of Clinical Pathology , National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt | ||
| 5Departments of Clinical and Molecular Parasitology , National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Background: Determination of the prevalence of human toxocariasis is a priority considering the sustained developmental goals of WHO by 2030 and the recent climatic changes. Objective: To detect the seroprevalence of toxocariasis among eosinophilic children in Shibin El Kom, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. Subjects and Methods: The study included 300 randomly selected eosinophilic children for whom stool analysis was performed. Ninety-six of the children positive for other parasitic infections were excluded from the study to avoid cross-reactivity. The remaining 204 children with negative stool analysis were subjected to the detection of Toxocara antibodies using ELISA. Results: Seropositivity of Toxocara antibodies among examined children was 15.7% (32/204); and 84.3% (172/204) were negative. Their ages ranged from 5 to 17 years, with a mean age of 9.16±3.11 years. Suspicious clinical history was recorded in 94.1% (192/204) of children; 15.7% (32/204) had history of recurrent fever of unknown origin; 21.6% (44/204) children were asthmatic; and cutaneous manifestations were observed in 2% (4/204) of cases. None of the patients had ocular or hepatic disorders. The history of direct contact with pets was present in 15.7% (32/204) of patients with non-significant differences to negative children. Conclusion: Our study reported a relatively higher prevalence of seropositivity to toxocariasis among children with eosinophilia in Shibin El Kom City, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. Implementing studies on a larger scale would provide more knowledge on the spread of this parasite in Egypt, and enhance advanced approaches to improve its control. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| children, Egypt; ELISA, eosinophilia, neglected diseases, toxocariasis | ||
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