Seroprevalence of <i>Toxocara canis</i> infection among asymptomatic children with eosinophilia in Croatia

Abstract

A total of 142 serum specimens from Croatian children aged 3-18 years, with peripheral eosinophilia and without any clinical symptoms, were tested for the presence of Toxocara canis IgG antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot method. The overall T. canis seropositivity rate in the samples tested was 31%. There was no statistical difference in the seroprevalence rate between boys (32.1%) and girls (29.7%, chi2 = 0.092, P = 0.761). The T. canis seropositivity varied significantly between age groups both in boys (Fisher's test P < 0.001) and girls (Fisher's test P = 0.007). The highest seroprevalence rate was found in boys aged 11-14 (42.9%) and girls aged 7-10 (44.2%). Our results showed a high seroprevalence rate of T. canis infection among children with eosinophilia. It is important that testing for toxocariasis should be included in a differential diagnosis of eosinophilia, especially in children.