Toxocariasis: Clinical Aspects, Epidemiology, Medical Ecology, and Molecular Aspects
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SUMMARY: Toxocariasis is caused by a series of related nematode species (ascarids) that routinely infect dogs and cats throughout the world. The eggs from these ascarids are common environmental contaminants of human habitation, due largely to the fact that many kinds of dogs and cats serve as pets, while countless others run wild throughout the streets of most urban centers. The eggs, present in dog and cat feces, become infectious within weeks after they are deposited in the local environment (e.g., sandboxes, city parks, and public beaches, etc.). Humans, particularly children, frequently ingest these eggs by accident and become infected. Infection in humans, in contrast to their definitive hosts, remains occult, often resulting in disease caused by the migrating larval stages. Visceral larva migrans (VLM) and ocular larva migrans (OLM) are two clinical manifestations that result in definable syndromes and present as serious health problems wherever they occur. Diagnosis and treatment of VLM and OLM are difficult. These issues are summarized in this review, with emphasis on the ecology of transmission and control of spread to both humans and animals through public health initiatives employing treatment of pets and environmental intervention strategies that limit the areas that dogs and cats are allowed within the confines of urban centers.
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Infectious stages of these parasites are highly resistant in the environment regardless of season or climate (e.g., ascarid ova resist harsh chemicals, broad temperature ranges and several degrees of moisture).
“the high resistance of infectious stages in the environment regardless season or climate (e.g. ascarid ova resist to harsh chemicals, broad temperature ranges and several degrees of moisture)”
From Pet roundworms and hookworms: A continuing need for global worming (2012) · cites this paper as [88]
Human syndromes caused by pet nematodes may lead to permanent damage.
“human syndromes caused by pet nematodes may lead to permanent damage [18,88]”
From Pet roundworms and hookworms: A continuing need for global worming (2012) · cites this paper as [88]
Public parks may be highly contaminated by eggs of T. canis, while sand-boxes and sand-pits by those of T. cati.
“Public parks may be highly contaminated by eggs of T. canis, while sand-boxes and sand-pits by those of T. cati[18,88,90,207,208].”
From Pet roundworms and hookworms: A continuing need for global worming (2012) · cites this paper as [88]
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- Authors
- Despommier, D.
- Affiliations
- Columbia University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Despommier, Dickson
- Venue
- Clinical Microbiology Reviews
- Publisher
- American Society for Microbiology
- Published
- 2003-04
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 265-272
- ISSN
- 0893-8512 (ISSN-L)
- 1098-6618
- PMC
- PMC153144
- OpenAlex
- W2124607997
- Cited by
- 980
- References
- 69
- Citations by year
- 2026: 32 · 2025: 36 · 2024: 46 · 2023: 60 · 2022: 50 · 2021: 60 · 2020: 57 · 2019: 51 · 2018: 48 · 2017: 46 · 2016: 59 · 2015: 54 · 2014: 55 · 2013: 48 · 2012: 52
- FWCI
- 1.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- europepmc.org
- Locations
- Clinical Microbiology Reviews (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Parasitic infections in humans and animals
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Helminth infection and control
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment
- Keywords
- toxocariasis, Toxocara, ascarids, visceral larva migrans, ocular larva migrans, zoonotic nematodes, environmental contamination, transmission ecology, environmental interventions, children, diagnosis, treatment
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Humans, Toxocara, Toxocariasis
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