[Toxocara canis and bronchial asthma]

Medicina (B Aires). 2010;70(1):75-8.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

In order to evaluate the association between the infection by Toxocara canis and the symptoms of asthma in children from a subtropical region with high prevalence of toxocariasis, 47 asthmatic children and 53 non-asthmatics as a control group were studied. A complete physical examination was performed and clinical and epidemiological data were registered. In asthmatic children the frequency and severity of symptoms were classified in grades I to IV. The presence of anti-Toxocara canis antibodies in both groups was evaluated employing a solid phase ELISA method with excretion/secretion antigens, and total Ig E was also measured. Results showed a total seropositivity of 55%, 57.4% in children with asthma and 52.8% in the control group. Among asthmatics with severe symptoms (grade II, III and IV), there was a 67.7% of seropositivity while in children with symptoms of grade I there was a 37.5% (p = 0.0470). The infection with T. canis could act as a co-factor increasing the severity of the symptoms of bronchial asthma.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Helminth / blood*
  • Antigens, Helminth / immunology*
  • Argentina / epidemiology
  • Asthma / diagnosis
  • Asthma / immunology
  • Asthma / parasitology*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Toxocara canis / immunology*
  • Toxocariasis / complications
  • Toxocariasis / epidemiology*
  • Toxocariasis / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Helminth
  • Antigens, Helminth