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Infectious Diseases of Poverty Jun 2018Toxocariasis is a neglected parasitic zoonosis that afflicts millions of the pediatric and adolescent populations worldwide, especially in impoverished communities. This... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Toxocariasis is a neglected parasitic zoonosis that afflicts millions of the pediatric and adolescent populations worldwide, especially in impoverished communities. This disease is caused by infection with the larvae of Toxocara canis and T. cati, the most ubiquitous intestinal nematode parasite in dogs and cats, respectively. In this article, recent advances in the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis and pharmacotherapies that have been used in the treatment of toxocariasis are reviewed.
MAIN TEXT
Over the past two decades, we have come far in our understanding of the biology and epidemiology of toxocariasis. However, lack of laboratory infrastructure in some countries, lack of uniform case definitions and limited surveillance infrastructure are some of the challenges that hindered the estimation of global disease burden. Toxocariasis encompasses four clinical forms: visceral, ocular, covert and neural. Incorrect or misdiagnosis of any of these disabling conditions can result in severe health consequences and considerable medical care spending. Fortunately, multiple diagnostic modalities are available, which if effectively used together with the administration of appropriate pharmacologic therapies, can minimize any unnecessary patient morbidity.
CONCLUSIONS
Although progress has been made in the management of toxocariasis patients, there remains much work to be done. Implementation of new technologies and better understanding of the pathogenesis of toxocariasis can identify new diagnostic biomarkers, which may help in increasing diagnostic accuracy. Also, further clinical research breakthroughs are needed to develop better ways to effectively control and prevent this serious disease.
Topics: Animals; Cats; Dogs; Humans; Neglected Diseases; Public Health; Toxocara; Toxocara canis; Toxocariasis; Zoonoses
PubMed: 29895324
DOI: 10.1186/s40249-018-0437-0 -
Parasitology Jan 2022Human toxocariasis is a neglected tropical disease, which is actually global in distribution and has a significant impact on global public health. The infection can lead... (Review)
Review
Human toxocariasis is a neglected tropical disease, which is actually global in distribution and has a significant impact on global public health. The infection can lead to several serious conditions in humans, including allergic, ophthalmic and neurological disorders such as epilepsy. It is caused by the common roundworm species Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati, with humans becoming accidentally infected via the ingestion of eggs or larvae. Toxocara eggs are deposited on the ground when infected dogs, cats and foxes defecate, with the eggs contaminating crops, grazing pastures, and subsequently food animals. However, transmission of Toxocara to humans via food consumption has received relatively little attention in the literature. To establish the risks that contaminated food poses to the public, a renewed research focus is required. This review discusses what is currently known about food-borne Toxocara transmission, highlighting the gaps in our understanding that require further attention, and outlining some potential preventative strategies which could be employed to safeguard consumer health.
Topics: Animals; Brain; Dogs; Humans; Nervous System Diseases; Toxocara; Toxocara canis; Toxocariasis; Zoonoses
PubMed: 34694217
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182021001591 -
Microorganisms Jan 2022and are globally occurring zoonotic roundworms of dogs and cats. Migration and persistence of larvae in the central nervous system of paratenic hosts including humans...
and are globally occurring zoonotic roundworms of dogs and cats. Migration and persistence of larvae in the central nervous system of paratenic hosts including humans may cause clinical signs of neurotoxocarosis (NT). As pathomechanisms of NT and host responses against larvae are mostly unknown, whole-genome microarray transcription analysis was performed in cerebra and cerebella of experimentally infected C57Bl/6J mice as paratenic host model at days 14, 28, 70, 98, and 120 post-infection. Neuroinvasion of evoked 220 cerebral and 215 cerebellar differentially transcribed genes (DTGs), but no particular PANTHER (Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships) pathway was affected. In -infected mice, 1039 cerebral and 2073 cerebellar DTGs were identified. Statistically significant dysregulations occurred in various pathways, including cholesterol biosynthesis, apoptosis signaling, and the Slit/Robo mediated axon guidance as well as different pathways associated with the immune and defense response. Observed dysregulations of the cholesterol biosynthesis, as well as the Alzheimer disease-amyloid secretase pathway in conjunction with previous histopathological neurodegenerative findings, may promote the discussion of as a causative agent for dementia and/or Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, results contribute to a deeper understanding of the largely unknown pathogenesis and host-parasite interactions during NT, and may provide the basis for prospective investigations evaluating pathogenic mechanisms or designing novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
PubMed: 35056627
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10010177 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2021and , the worldwide occurring intestinal roundworms of canids and felids, represent an important public health threat due to various disease manifestations in humans....
and , the worldwide occurring intestinal roundworms of canids and felids, represent an important public health threat due to various disease manifestations in humans. Host recognition of pathogens is mediated by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). Myeloid C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) are PRRs and recognise carbohydrate structures of various pathogens. As excretory-secretory products (TES) are predominantly composed of glycoconjugates, they represent suitable targets for CLRs. However, the range of host-derived CLRs recognising spp. is still unknown. Using a CLR-hFc fusion protein library, and L3 somatic antigens (TSOM) were bound by a variety of CLRs in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while their TES products interacted with macrophage galactose-type lectin-1 (MGL-1). Two prominent candidate CLRs, MGL-1 and macrophage C-type lectin (MCL), were selected for further binding studies. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed binding of MGL-1 to the oral aperture of L3. Immunoblot experiments identified distinct protein fractions representing potential ligands for MGL-1 and MCL. To evaluate how these interactions influence the host immune response, bone marrow-derived dendritic cell (BMDC) assays were performed, showing MCL-dependent -mediated cytokine production. In conclusion, MGL-1 and MCL are promising candidates for immune modulation during infection, deserving further investigation in the future.
PubMed: 33803269
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10030321 -
International Journal For Parasitology.... Apr 2022In Finland, free-ranging Eurasian lynx () population has grown from 30 to 40 individuals to 2800 individuals since the species became partly protected in 1962. Changes...
In Finland, free-ranging Eurasian lynx () population has grown from 30 to 40 individuals to 2800 individuals since the species became partly protected in 1962. Changes in host population size are known to have an impact on host-parasite dynamics, and the Eurasian lynx population in Finland provides a unique opportunity for studying the potential effects of dramatic population increase and expansion of a solitary apex predator on their parasite prevalence and abundance. is a zoonotic gastrointestinal parasite infecting domestic cats and wild felids worldwide. We studied infection prevalence and worm burden in 2756 Eurasian lynx individuals from Finland, covering the years 1999-2015. worms that had been collected from intestinal contents were identified based on morphology. We performed regression analyses to investigate possible associations of age, sex, and host population density with infection. We found from 2324 (84.3%, 95% confidence interval 82.9-86.0) of the examined lynx. Each year, the infection prevalence was higher than 75% and not density dependent. The parasites were strongly aggregated, with older individuals harboring fewer than younger ones did. Old females aged 9-15 years had higher abundance than males of the same age group. Our results indicate that was a common and abundant parasite of Eurasian lynx throughout the study period, regardless of the changing population size and density.
PubMed: 35198374
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.02.004 -
Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine May 2021Human helminth zoonosis is one of the most encountered helminthiases worldwide. Representative diseases include and , which are common nematodes prevalent in dogs and... (Review)
Review
Human helminth zoonosis is one of the most encountered helminthiases worldwide. Representative diseases include and , which are common nematodes prevalent in dogs and cats. The infiltration of these roundworms in the human body through contaminated food or nematode eggs could lead to central nervous system injury as the roundworms can cross the blood-brain barrier leading to neurotoxocariasis. Among the neurological and neuropsychological disturbances produced by Toxocara infection, in humans, the most representative are meningitis, encephalitis, myelitis and cerebral vasculitis, but asymptomatic central nervous system infection is probably the most prevalent. The present review examines the clinical symptomatology of neurotoxocariasis in case reports in the literature in the last 7 decades (1950-2020). The available evidence was retrieved from PubMed and Medline electronic databases. The present review reports the most prevalent clinical symptomatology in the cases of detected and diagnosed Toxocara infection with neuroinvasion. Thus, the present review aims to raise the awareness of neurological cases of Toxocara infection with the potential to at least establish differential diagnosis of neurotoxocariasis.
PubMed: 33815594
DOI: 10.3892/etm.2021.9953 -
Parasitology Jun 2021Toxocariasis is a zoonotic disease caused mainly by Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati and diagnosis in dogs and cats is an important tool for its control. For this...
Toxocariasis is a zoonotic disease caused mainly by Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati and diagnosis in dogs and cats is an important tool for its control. For this reason, a new coprological loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed for the simultaneous detection of these species. The primer set was designed on a region of the mitochondrial cox-1 gene. Amplification conditions were evaluated using a temperature gradient (52°C to 68°C), different incubation times (15–120 min), and different concentrations of malachite green dye (0.004–0.4% w/v). The analytical sensitivity was evaluated with serial dilutions of genomic DNA from T. canis and T. cati adult worms, and with serial dilutions of DNA extracted from feces using a low-cost in-house method. The specificity was evaluated using genomic DNA from Canis lupus familiaris, Felis catus, Escherichia coli, Toxascaris leonina, Ancylostoma caninum, Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto and Taenia hydatigena. The LAMP assay applied to environmental fecal samples from an endemic area showed an analytical sensitivity of 10–100 fg of genomic DNA and 10−5 serial dilutions of DNA extracted from feces using the low-cost in-house method; with a specificity of 100%. Additionally, the total development of the assay was carried out in a basic laboratory and per-reaction reagent cost decreased by ~80%. This new, low-cost tool can help identify the most common agents of toxocariasis in endemic areas in order to manage prevention strategies without having to rely on a laboratory with sophisticated equipment.
Topics: Animals; Cat Diseases; Cats; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Feces; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; Toxocara; Toxocara canis; Toxocariasis
PubMed: 33593468
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182021000342 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Mar 2024Toxocariasis is an infection caused in canines, felines, humans, and other vertebrates by species of the genus , such as and . The embryonated eggs of these parasites... (Review)
Review
Toxocariasis is an infection caused in canines, felines, humans, and other vertebrates by species of the genus , such as and . The embryonated eggs of these parasites are the primary means of acquiring the infection for both definitive hosts, dogs and cats, respectively, and for intermediates, such as humans and other vertebrates. When deposited on park soils, environmental contamination becomes a risk to environmental, human, and animal health. To determine the global prevalence of in cats (). A systematic review of the literature was carried out in six databases (Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, SciELO and Google Scholar) to evaluate the global prevalence of in cats, defined by coproparasitological, histological, and molecular techniques. A meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model to calculate pooled prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). A two-tailed 5% alpha level was used for hypothesis testing. Two hundred and eighty-nine studies were included. The global pooled prevalence of in cats using coproparasitological methods was 17.0% (95.0% CI: 16.2-17.8%). In the subgroup analysis according to country, Nepal had the highest prevalence of infection (94.4%; 95% CI 89.7-99.2%). The pooled prevalence of infection by PCR in four studies was 4.9% (95.0% CI: 1.9-7.9%). This systematic review underscores the need for preventive action against toxocariasis due to its widespread prevalence. The interplay between animal and human health should be emphasised, necessitating measures like deworming cats, hygiene practices, and public education to mitigate risks. Safeguarding feline health can also reduce human transmission, benefiting both species.
PubMed: 38612261
DOI: 10.3390/ani14071022