TOXOCARIASIS: A DISEASE OF HIGH PREVALENCE BUT FORGOTTEN

INTRODUCTION:  toxocariasis is an anthropozoonosis that occurs in various regions of the world, often found in developing countries and in regions where sanitation conditions are poor. This disease affects dogs and cats, whose etiologic agents are, respectively, Toxocara canis and cati. These mammals are the definitive hosts of this geohelminth and a person it’s a paratenic host. Infection in humans can cause acute clinical severity varied and eventually chronicity. The diagnosis is made by means of the ELISA and the classical treatment is done with benzimidazole anthelmintics. The toxocariasis, despite not being on the list of neglected diseases of WHO, has aroused little interest in academia and even less in health services, despite its prevalence in various regions of Brazil. Some studies have discussed the possible association between parasitic infections and allergic / atopic diseases and asthma, working with the hypothesis that exert immunomodulatory role.

METHODS:  A search was performed in electronic databases, Medline, Lilacs, PubMed and Embase. The words were: "toxocariasis and Brazil", in the period from 2008 to 2013, and found 406 articles, with the inclusion criteria of studies done with humans and presenting epidemiological aspects.

RESULTS:  We selected 90 articles that prove the current high prevalence of toxocariasis in various regions, ranging from 11.1% to 65.4%. Several studies point to an association of toxocariasis with other diseases of high public health relevance. Despite this evidence the Brazilian Public Health System does not repayment diagnostic tests for the detection of anti-Toxocara, complicating the clinical and leading to no treatment.

CONCLUSIONS:  

The review provides grants for the revision of public policies for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of toxocariasis.