N Radman | PubMed Health

PubMed2000

[Toxocariasis with liver involvement].

We are reporting 16 cases of toxocariasis found in a two year period. Mean age was 2 years and 9 months. Sex distribution was 1:1. Thirteen (81%) children presented pica, 8 (50%) had pets at home, 10 (62.5%) presented anemia and long standing fever, and all eosinophilic leukocytosis. Fundoscopy was normal in all. Toxocara antibodies (Through ELISA) were increased in all of them. High resolution ultrasonography revealed hypoechoic areas in the liver in 50% of the cases. Therapeutic response was good, the clinical signs and symptoms disappearing at the end of treatment. The eosinophilic leukocytosis, ELISA serum positivity for toxocara and ultrasound findings persisted approximately for a year. Toxocariasis is a common parasitosis in our setting. It must be regarded as the first diagnosis when confronted with eosinophilic leukocytosis and abnormal liver findings by ultrasound.

Antibodies, Helminth↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Intestinal parasite infections in a periurban community from the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina].

A survey for intestinal parasites was performed on 38 individuals within the urban area of La Plata City (Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina). This community is composed of brick-factory workers who also live in the factory premises. An analysis for intestinal parasites was done on fecal samples collected serially and by means of anal swabs and thereafter preserved in formol solution. At the same time, the occurrence of the parasites under study as well as that of commensal organisms was investigated in water and soil samples within the factory environs. Information was also obtained from the members of this community as their age, sex, birthplace, and recent travels, either abroad or to the interior of Argentina. The prevalence of the pathogens and commensal parasites was 89.5%. The frequency of protozoans and helminths was: G. lamblia 26.3%, B. hominis 65.8%, A. lumbricoides 7.9%, H. nana 2.6%, Uncinaria sp. 7.9%, S. stercoralis 2.6% and E. vermicularis 42.1%. None of these parasite or commensal organisms were present in the water samples investigated. Four out of 20 soil samples analyzed contained parasitic elements: T. canis eggs (one), G. lamblia cysts (two) and A. lumbricoides eggs (one). These results indicated that most important factors causing such a high prevalence of coproparasites were the poor conditions of personal and community hygiene in combination with the frequent travels to the north and the northeast of the country, regions which are endemic parasitic areas. The implementation of programs on health education and communal sanitation would contribute in the control of this health problem.

Adolescent↗