Korean J Med.  2013 Feb;84(2):203-210.

Clinical and Serological Findings in Patients with Toxocariasis in the Pohang Region: The Features of Toxocariasis in Pohang

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Sunlin Hospital, Pohang, Korea. jlike35@gmail.com

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
This study was performed to investigate the clinical and serological characteristics of toxocariasis in the Pohang region.
METHODS
A total of 145 patients with peripheral eosinophilia (> 450 cells/microL) were enrolled and divided into two groups based on Toxocara excretory-secretory IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) positivity, and the clinical features and serologic markers were compared between the two groups.
RESULTS
The seropositive rate of Toxocara was 62.1%. The serum total eosinophils (p = 0.038), total IgE level (p < 0.01), Dermatophagoides farinae (Df) seropositivity rate (p < 0.01), frequency of eosinophilic tissue infiltration in the lung or liver (p < 0.01), and ingestion of raw cow meat or liver (p < 0.01) were higher in seropositive patients than in seronegative patients. However, the presence of asthma and rhinitis (p < 0.01) were more frequent in seronegative patients. Among seropositive patients, positive correlations were observed between serum total IgE, total eosinophils, and the optical density value of the Toxocara IgG ELISA (p < 0.01; p = 0.015, respectively). The specific IgE to Df was significantly higher (p < 0.01) than that to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp), suggesting a cross reaction between the Df antigen and the Toxocara antigen.
CONCLUSIONS
Patients who have elevated serum total IgE and have eosinophilia without allergic disease might have toxocariasis. The lower frequency of asthma or rhinitis and a tendency for higher specific IgE to Df than that to Dp could be useful findings for the diagnosis of toxocariasis in patients with eosinophilia.

Keyword

Toxocariasis; Toxocara canis; Eosinophilia; Immunoglobulin E; Dermatophagoides

MeSH Terms

Asthma
Cross Reactions
Dermatophagoides farinae
Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus
Eating
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Eosinophilia
Eosinophils
Humans
Immunoglobulin E
Immunoglobulin G
Liver
Lung
Meat
Pyroglyphidae
Rhinitis
Toxocara
Toxocara canis
Toxocariasis
Immunoglobulin E
Immunoglobulin G
Full Text Links
  • KJM
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr