TOXOCARIASIS: VISCERAL AND OCULAR LARVA MIGRANS

Toxocariasis is a neglected socioeconomically important zoonotic nematode parasite 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. Human infections can lead to syndromes called visceral larva migrans (VLM), ocular larva migrans, neurotoxocariasis, and covert toxocariasis. Infection is not often fatal, but the inflammatory response to migrating larvae is associated with
increased leukocytosis, including generalized lymphadenopathy, endophthalmitis, granulomatous hepatitis, asthma, endomyocarditis, and high eosinophilia (>30%) as well as malignancy