Toxocariasis has a broad clinical spectrum, from asymptomatic to systemic illness. However, cerebral toxocariasis has rarely been reported. We experienced a patient who presented with seizure and memory disturbance after treatment for visceral larva migrans of toxocariasis. Laboratory findings included eosinophilia, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis, and positive results for toxocariasis in the serum and CSF. The patient showed marked improvement after combined albendazole and steroid treatment. This case indicates that cerebral toxocariasis is an unusual cause of cognitive dysfunction and seizure.
Albendazole ; Eosinophilia ; Humans ; Larva Migrans, Visceral ; Leukocytosis ; Memory ; Seizures ; Toxocariasis

Toxocariasis is an infection in a human host caused by Toxocara canis or Toxocara cati larvae. Clinical manifestations are classified according to the organs affected, such as visceral larva migrans (VLM) and ocular larva migrans (OLM). Epidemiological evidence suggests that OLM tends to occur in the absence of systemic involvement and vice versa, which has led to two manifestations of this infection being reclassified as VLM and OLM. No case of a patient with VLM combined with OLM has been reported in Korea. Here, we report a case of VLM combined with OLM in a 51-year-old female caused by massive ingestion of raw cow meat, manyplies, and liver.
Eating ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Larva ; Larva Migrans ; Larva Migrans, Visceral ; Liver ; Meat ; Middle Aged ; Toxocara ; Toxocara canis ; Toxocariasis

Hepatic toxocariasis is a type of visceral larva migrans caused by the migration of second-stage larvae of certain nematodes such as Toxocara canis to the liver. Histologically, the condition is characterized by granulomatous lesions containing eosinophils and inflammatory cells. We report a case of hepatic toxocariasis with atypical clinical and radiologic findings presenting as distinct, solitary hepatic nodule detected in a middle-aged woman.
Eosinophils ; Female ; Humans ; Larva ; Larva Migrans, Visceral ; Liver ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Toxocara canis ; Toxocariasis

BACKGROUND: We analysed 205 cases of parasitic infection that were confirmed at Dept. of Parasitology, Hanyang University, College of Medicine from January 1986 to December 2003. METHODS: Parasitic worms were observed on gross examination or light microscope after treatment with lactophenol. Stool was examined with formalin-ether method for detection of eggs or protozoal cysts and scotch tape method was used for E. vermicularis eggs. In case of S. stercoralis, stool sample was incubated at 26degrees C for 48 to 72 h to confirm filariform larvae. Commercial ELISA kit for T. canis and ELISA test with hydatid cystic fluid from a patient were evaluated. Tissues were stained H&E after 10% formalin fixation and observed under the light microscope. RESULTS: There were detected 31 species of parasite among 205 specimens. Nematodes of 84 cases (41.5%), Anisakis sp., P. decipiens, E. vermicularis and T. callipaeda, visceral larva migrans, T. trichiura, A. lumbricoides, S. stercoralis, cutaneous larva migrans, Mammomonogamus sp. were observed. Cestodes of 41 cases (21.0%), D. latum, sparganum, T. saginata, cysticercus cellulosae, hydatid cyst and trematodes of 34 cases (16.6%), C. sinensis, M. yokogawai, P. westermani and N. seoulense were noted. Protozoa of 34 cases (16.6%), E. histolytica, E. dispar, T. vaginalis, Plasmodium sp. G. lamblia, E. coli, E. nana, P. carinii and arthropoda of 11 cases (5.4%), I. nipponensis, P. pubis, T. floricolum and Culex sp. larva were classified. CONCLUSIONS: Food-borne parasitic infections were distinctly noted in this analysis. And raw food or water are important as a source of parasitic infection in the future.
Anisakis ; Arthropods ; Cestoda ; Culex ; Cysticercus ; Echinococcosis ; Eggs ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Formaldehyde ; Giardia ; Helminths ; Humans ; Larva ; Larva Migrans ; Larva Migrans, Visceral ; Ovum ; Parasites* ; Parasitology ; Plasmodium ; Sparganum

No abstract available.
Animals ; Eosinophilia/*etiology ; Humans ; Larva Migrans, Visceral/*complications/diagnosis/epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Toxocara canis/isolation & purification

Toxocariasis is known as visceral larva migrans in humans and it is caused by T. canis and T. catis, especially in children, but it is less commonly reported in adults. Although several cases of toxocariasis in adults have been reported, there have been no descriptions of toxocariasis involving the liver or, the lungs and the pleura. We report here on a case of T. canis infection in an immunocompetent adult with peripheral eosinophilia, elevated serum levels of Ig E and CT findings displaying multiple focal air space consolidations in the lungs, bilateral pleural effusion and low attenuated hepatic nodules.
Adult* ; Child ; Eosinophilia ; Humans ; Larva Migrans, Visceral ; Liver ; Lung ; Pleura ; Pleural Effusion ; Toxocariasis*

To observe the possibility of human visceral larva migrans due to eating of raw liver of domestic animals, especially of cattle, and also to serve as a good reference for adequate sanitary measures, the investigation survey was carried out from May 1975 to May 1976. From the subjects of a l,048 inhabitants (male 558, female 490) in five localities including two Provinces and three different cities, food habit was studied by questionnaire mannual. Larvae isolated from liver tissues of cattle, and pig were identified. Experimental observation on the chicken and mice infected with Toxocara canis was undertaken to draw a assumption of possibility inducing human visceral larva migrans. The results obtained from the present study are summarized. A part of Korean people has the habit to eat the livers of cattle, fowl, pig and dog raw. Eating rate of raw beef liver was 37.8 percent out of l,048 inhabitants, and its rate was higher markedly in male(57.7 percent) than in female (15. 1 percent), and the highest rate among the group of 31-40 years old. Eating rate of raw liver of fowl was 5.9 percent, pig 5.3 percent, and dog 2.5 percent. Larva recovery rate from beef liver was 11.8 percent out of 195 samples and 72.0 percent of total detected 1arvae were identified as Toxocara(=Neoascaris) vitulorum. From pig liver, larvae of nematoda were found in 6.4 percent out of 109 samples but no larva was detected from 120 fowl livers. Larvae detected from one-half of tissues and organs of infected chicken with about 2,000 Toxocara canis eggs were 8-245 in number, and 85-100 percent of recovered larvae were from their 1iver tissues. Toxocara canis larvae, 45, 31, 42 and 23 in number at 3rd, 14th, 25th and 55th day in one-half of the tissues and organs after infection respectively, were demonstrated from the mice infected with 500 larvae collected from infected chicken liver. Most of the larvae were recovered from the carcass of the mouse. It was approved the larvae isolated from chicken possess infectivity to the mice. Typical eosinophilic granulomatous change was not observed in the liver tissue of the infected chicken at 20th day after infection. As it summarized above, the liver of various domestic animals is the favorite tissue for migration of nematodes larvae. Therefore, the possibility of human visceral larva migrans may be induced due to eating of raw liver of domestic animals.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; visceral larva migrans ; Toxocara canis ; liver ; cattle ; fowl ; pig ; dog ; mouse ; chicken ; infectivity

The laparoscopy-assisted hepatic resection has been introduced for solitary benign or malignant hepatic tumors. We successfully had undergone left lateral sectionectomy with assistance of laparoscopy. Forty-three year old male patient was admitted for diagnosis of liver mass. Abdominal computed tomography showed a 2 cm sized single nodular tumor in segment 3 which was consistent with hepatoma. He underwent laparoscopy-assisted left lateral sectionectomy using Cavitron Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirator and Ultrasonic Shears. The patient discharged without any complications in the 8th postoperative day. The pathologic findings of nodule were consistent with the eosinophilic abscess of liver. Left lateral sectionectomy of liver can be conducted safely with assistance of laparoscopy.
Abscess ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Diagnosis ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Larva Migrans, Visceral ; Liver Abscess* ; Liver* ; Male ; Toxocariasis ; Ultrasonics

A 41-year-old woman who was diagnosed with myocarditis presented eosinophilia. Since the antibody against Toxocara canis (T. canis) was positive, we diagnosed that she had visceral larva migrans due to T. canis associated with myocarditis. She was treated with oral albendazole and prednisolone for two weeks, eosinophil count and hepatic enzymes were normalized after completion of treatment. This is the first report of myocarditis caused by T. canis infection in Korea.
Adult ; Albendazole ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Larva Migrans, Visceral ; Myocarditis ; Prednisolone ; Toxocara ; Toxocara canis

Visceral larva migrans is a syndrome presented chronic peripheral eosinophilia, hepatomegaly with eosinophilic granuloma. Originally it results from migration of second stage larva of Toxocara species, animal ascarides, but there are many other causative parasites. It's difficult to detect causative parasite, although immunohistochemical methods like ELISA or Ouchterlony method have been introduced. If the larva were dectected, it's not easy to discriminate causative one from others because of similarities of morphology. Most cases have self-limited course. Only in severe infection, antiparasitic treatment, augmented by corticosteroid when allergic symptopms are also present, is required. Clinical presentations have varieties of spectrum, hepatomegaly with eosinophilic granuloma is most common. Some cases of pulmonary, ocular and CNS symptoms were reported. We now report a case of visceral larva migrans, presented submucosal tumor or diverticulitis in the ascending colon and went through laparoscopic right hemicolectomy. The diagnosis was made with microscopic examination of operation tissue.
Animals ; Colon, Ascending* ; Diagnosis ; Diverticulitis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophilic Granuloma ; Hepatomegaly ; Larva ; Larva Migrans, Visceral* ; Parasites ; Toxocara ; Toxocariasis