The infestation of the intestine with worms from a dog or cat.
Toxocariasis is an infection that results from the invasion of parasites found in the intestines of dogs and cats. About 10,000 people are affected annually with toxocariasis in the United States.
An infection caused by the larvae of parasitic roundworms commonly found in the intestines of dogs and cats. Toxocariasis can take one of two forms known as ocular larva migrans and visceral larva migrans. The infection occurs most frequently in children, usually as a result of ingesting soil that has been contaminated with animal feces. In the United States, most cases of toxocariasis are associated with dogs, especially puppies. For this reason, having puppies dewormed before the shedding of roundworm larvae begins is important to preventing the infection in children.
An infestation with the larvae of the dog and cat roundworms, Toxocara canis and T. cati. Man, who is not the normal host, becomes infected on swallowing eggs of Toxocara present on hands or in food and drink contaminated with the feces of infected domestic pets. The larvae, which migrate around the body, cause destruction of various tissues; the liver becomes enlarged and the lungs inflamed. Symptoms may include fever, joint and muscle pains, vomiting, an irritating rash, and convulsions. Larvae can also lodge in the retina of the eye where they cause inflammation and granuloma. The disease, widely distributed throughout the world, primarily affects children. There is no satisfactory treatment.
A disease acquired by swallowing the ova (eggs) of a roundworm which lives in the intestine of cats (Joxocara cati) or dogs (Toxocara canis). In humans, the small larval worms produced by these ova migrate to various parts of the body, including the retina of the eye, where they then die, producing a small granuloma which in turn may produce allergic reactions. In the eye it may cause choroidretinitis. It is said that 2 per cent of apparently healthy people in Britain have been infected in this way. A course of treatment with thiabendazole is recommended, though the drug has side-effects and should be used with caution in the elderly.
Infestation with the nematode worms Toxocara canis or T. cati, which migrate but cannot complete their life cycle in a human host and die after causing tissue damage that ranges from mild to severe. Larvae may be carried to any part of the body where the blood vessel is large enough to accommodate them. They may end up in the brain, retinal vessels, liver, lung, or heart and produce myocarditis, endophthalmitis, epilepsy, or encephalitis. Diagnosis is made by immunological tests and by the presence of larvae in tissue obtained by liver biopsy. It is important that toxocariasis be considered in cases diagnosed as retinoblastoma.
The invasion of humans, typically children, by the larvae of Toxocara canis a slender, thread-like worm that resides within the intestines of dogs.
Children who interact with a dog carrying the larvae or come into contact with soil tainted by dog feces, and subsequently put their fingers in their mouths, may ingest worm eggs. These eggs hatch within the intestines, and the liberated larvae then travel to various organs like the liver, lungs, brain, and eyes.
Typically, infestation results in minor fever and discomfort, which typically resolve quickly; however, severe infestation might lead to conditions like asthma, pneumonia, and seizures. If larvae infiltrate the eye and perish there, it can result in vision loss.
Toxocariasis is diagnosed through sputum analysis and liver biopsy. In instances of severe cases, hospitalization is necessary, involving the administration of drugs like tiabendazole and anticonvulsant medication.