toxocariasis

toxocariasis /tox·o·car·i·a·sis/ (-kah-ri´ah-sis) infection by worms of the genus Toxocara.

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tox·o·ca·ri·a·sis (tks-k-r-ss)

n.

Infection with nematodes of the genus Toxocara.

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toxocariasis

[tok′sōkərī′əsis]

Etymology: Gk, toxo, bow, kara, head, osis, condition

infection with the larvae of Toxocara canis, the common roundworm of dogs, and with T. cati, of cats. Human ingestion of viable eggs, commonly found in soil, leads to the spread of tiny larvae throughout the body, resulting in respiratory symptoms, enlarged liver, skin rashes, eosinophilia, and delayed ocular lesions. Children who eat dirt are particularly subject to this disease. Specific drug therapy is not very useful. The outcomes is usually good without therapy. Two major forms of the infection exist: ocular larval migrans (OLM), which can cause an eye disease resulting in blindness, occurs when the worm enters the eye. Visceral larval migrans (VLM) is heavy or repeated infection that causes swelling of organs or the central nervous system. Symptoms of this form are caused by movement of the worms and are manifested as fever, asthma, or pneumonia. Severe forms are rare, VLM is treated with antiparasitic drugs and antiinflamatories, OLM is more difficult to treat and usually involves preventing progression of eye damage. Regular worming of pets helps prevent infection. Also called visceral larval migrans.

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toxocariasis

infection by worms of the genus Toxocara. Heavy infestations in young puppies and kittens may be responsible for abdominal distention, signs of colic, diarrhea and poor growth. Somatic tissue migration of larvae in neonatal puppies may cause respiratory and nervous signs.

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toxocariasis

Visceral larva migrans Parasitology A disease primarily of children due to dog–Toxocara canis and cat–T cati parasites that inhabit the GI tract and release eggs in the feces; when children ingest eggs from contaminated plants, dirt, stool, eggs hatch into larvae in GI tract, burrow through the wall and migrate elsewhere, primarily to liver and lung, but also brain, eye, etc, causing inflammation and tissue damage in transit Clinical Fever, pulmonary complaints–eg, cough, wheezing, seizures, rash, ↓ visual acuity due to migration through ocular structures–periorbital edema, strabismus Prognosis Generally self-limited, Sx eventually disappear; there is no specific therapy