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 Printable version |
Toxocariasis |
Epilepsies. Volume 22, Number 2, 120-5, avril-mai-juin 2010, Épilepsie et pathologies tropicales
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 Résumé
 Full Text
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Author(s) : Alessandra Nicoletti |
Summary : Human toxocariasis is a parasitic zoonosis caused by the larval stages of the nematode Toxocara canis. Infection of humans with embryonated eggs of T. canis remains asymptomatic or results in covert toxocariasis visceral larva migrans syndrome, or ocular larva migrans. Even if it has been demonstrated that the larvae can locate in the central nervous system, leading to a variety of neurological disorders, how often Toxocara larvae provoke neurological disorders in humans is not clear. Manifestations of the central nervous system are dementia, meningoencephalitis, myelitis, cerebral vasculitis, epilepsy, or optic neuritis. Several studies have evidenced high seropositivity rates for T. canis among people with epilepsy suggesting that toxocariasis could play a role in the incidence of epilepsy in endemic areas. Diagnosis of neurotoxocariasis is based on the history\; blood tests, including differential blood cell count\; CSF investigations, including determination of antibodies anti-Toxocara canis\; and neuroimaging (CT scans and MRI). Like the visceral manifestations, neurological manifestations of toxocariasis are treated with benzimidazole components. |
Keywords : toxocariasis, epilepsy, parasitic disease |
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