Seroepidemiology of Toxocariasis and Its Clinical Implications in Gwangju and Jeonnam-province, Korea.
10.3343/alm.2015.35.4.449
- Author:
Eun Jeong WON
1
;
Jin KIM
;
Myung Geun SHIN
;
Jong Hee SHIN
;
Soon Pal SUH
;
Dong Wook RYANG
Author Information
1. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea. dwryang@chonnam.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Brief Communication
- Keywords:
Toxocariasis;
Raw cow liver;
Organ involvement;
Eosinophilia;
Seroepidemiology
- MeSH:
Eosinophilia;
Eosinophils;
Gwangju;
Hospitals, University;
Humans;
Immunoglobulin G;
Korea;
Liver;
Male;
Meat;
Risk Factors;
Toxocariasis*
- From:Annals of Laboratory Medicine
2015;35(4):449-453
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
We investigated the seroepidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of patients suspected to have toxocariasis in Gwangju and Jeonnam-province, Korea. In total, 228 specimens were analyzed for anti-Toxocara canis IgG at two university hospitals from 2010 to 2012. The overall seropositive rate was 67.1%, and the seropositive rates among the eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic groups were 76.1% (105/138) and 53.3% (48/90), respectively. Risk factors for eosinophilia and toxocariasis were male sex (odds ratios [OR]=2.632 and 3.477, respectively) and a history of ingesting raw meat (OR=2.884 and 3.274, respectively), especially raw cow liver (OR=2.089 and 10.038, respectively). T. canis seropositivity (OR=5.807, P=0.004) and a history of consuming raw cow liver (OR=2.766, P=0.052) were risk factors for organ involvement. The anti-T. canis IgG level showed weakly positive correlations with eosinophil counts (r=0.234, P<0.001) and the duration of eosinophilia (r=0.155, P=0.019). Although limited to the regions of Gwangju and Jeonnam-province, this study supports the opinion that toxocariasis is a reasonable focus as a cause of eosinophilia and that it is also associated with organ involvement.
