Toxocara canis larvae are one of the most overlooked agents of nervous system infection in paratenic hosts. Previous studies in mouse models have shown that infection with various (mainly high) numbers of larvae leads to neurobehavioral disturbances and pathological changes. Our study investigated whether the infection with low and moderate numbers of larvae could affect the physical condition, motor skills, and pathogenesis in the brains of experimentally infected mice.Two groups of BALB/c mice were orally infected with 10 and 100 T. canis larvae per animal and examined regularly until the 97th week after infection. General appearance, specific antibody responses, and motor/balance skills were assessed. The number and viability of larvae in the liver, spleen, lungs, and brain were assessed by quantitative compressed biopsy technique, while the pathological changes of the brain infection were studied histologically.As a result, changes were observed in overall appearance, activity, as well as motor and balance ability. The infections were associated with an increased IgG antibody response to the specific anti-T. canis excretory/secretory antigen and tissue damage in the brain characterized by necrosis, cell infiltrations, including foamy cells, and hemorrhages.The study demonstrated the effects of low and moderate T. canis infection in a paratenic host during the chronic phase of infection, which lasted up to 97 weeks for the first time.

• Klíčová slova
• Toxocara canis, Mice, Moderate to low inoculum, Neurobehavioral disorders, Pathological changes,
• MeSH
• chování zvířat MeSH
• imunoglobulin G krev   MeSH
• játra parazitologie   patologie   MeSH
• larva * MeSH
• modely nemocí na zvířatech MeSH
• mozek * parazitologie   patologie   MeSH
• myši inbrední BALB C * MeSH
• myši MeSH
• protilátky helmintové krev   MeSH
• Toxocara canis * MeSH
• toxokaróza * parazitologie   patologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• myši MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• imunoglobulin G MeSH
• protilátky helmintové MeSH

Human toxocariasis is a helminthozoonosis caused by the migration of Toxocara species larvae through an organism. The infection in humans is transmitted either by direct ingestion of the eggs of the parasite, or by consuming undercooked meat infested with Toxocara larvae. This parasitosis can be found worldwide, but there are significant differences in seroprevalence in different areas, depending mainly on hot climate conditions and on low social status. However, the literature estimates of seroprevalence are inconsistent. Infected patients commonly present a range of symptoms, e.g., abdominal pain, decreased appetite, restlessness, fever, and coughing. This manuscript presents a case report of a polytraumatic patient who underwent a two-phase spinal procedure for a thoracolumbar fracture. After the second procedure, which was a vertebral body replacement via thoracotomy, the patient developed a pathologic pleural effusion. A microscopic cytology examination of this effusion revealed the presence of Toxocara species larvae. Although the patient presented no specific clinical symptoms, and the serological exams (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot) were negative, the microscopic evaluation enabled a timely diagnosis. The patient was successfully treated with albendazole, with no permanent sequelae of the infection.

• Klíčová slova
• Toxocara, complication, pleural effusion, spine surgery, thoracic approach,
• MeSH
• ELISA MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• paraziti * MeSH
• séroepidemiologické studie MeSH
• sociální status MeSH
• Toxocara MeSH
• toxokaróza * diagnóza   farmakoterapie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• kazuistiky MeSH

BACKGROUND: Larval toxocarosis (LT), a zoonotic disease transmitted by dogs, cats, and other carnivores, is caused by roundworms of the genus Toxocara. Humans become infected by ingesting embryonated eggs of this parasite. In this study, we present data on the seroprevalence of LT in the Czech Republic collected by the National Reference Laboratory for Tissue Helminthoses in 2012-2016. METHODS: Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a total of 4428 adults and children with or without clinical symptoms were examined for the presence of IgG antibodies against Toxocara canis excretory-secretory antigens. RESULTS: Of all the persons examined, specific Toxocara antibodies were detected in 160 (3.6%) individuals. There were, however, significant differences between various regions, with seropositivity rates ranging from 1.4 to 7.5%. CONCLUSION: In comparison to studies from 1998 and 2004, our results suggest a decrease in overall Toxocara seroprevalence in the Czech population, whereby the rates are similar to or even lower than rates in some other Central European countries.

• Klíčová slova
• Czech Republic, Seroprevalence, Toxocara canis, Toxocara cati, Toxocarosis, Zoonosis,
• MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• ELISA MeSH
• imunoglobulin G krev   MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• larva MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• protilátky helmintové krev   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• séroepidemiologické studie MeSH
• Toxocara izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• toxokaróza krev   epidemiologie   MeSH
• zoonózy epidemiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• imunoglobulin G MeSH
• protilátky helmintové MeSH

Human toxocarosis is one of the most widespread and prevalent helminthic zoonosis in many countries, including Slovakia. The aim was to evaluate the usefulness of IgA anti-Toxocara antibody detection in the serodiagnosis of toxocarosis. The levels of specific IgA antibodies were determined by excretory-secretory (ES)-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The IgA seropositivity in IgG anti-Toxocara seropositive patients (n = 52) was 32.7% and found to be highest in the oldest age groups (P = 0.026). The presence of IgA in suspected patients for toxocarosis were evaluated in respect to some characteristics of examined persons. Substantially higher IgA seropositivity was detected in patients with increased total IgE (44.8%) than in subjects with a normal level of IgE (17.4%; P = 0.036). No associations (P > 0.05) were found between IgA seropositivity and sex, level of specific IgG antibodies, avidity of IgG, eosinophilia, domicile, geophagia, traveling abroad, dog/cat ownership, or clinical symptoms. The IgA-ELISA showed sensitivity of 57.1% and specificity of 100%. Mild correlations (r = 0.302, r = 0.305, r = - 0.409) were observed between the levels of anti-Toxocara IgA antibodies and age, the amounts of eosinophils and IgA antibody levels, the amounts of eosinophils, and the values of IgG avidity, respectively. The presence of anti-Toxocara IgA may facilitate the diagnosis of toxocarosis and may well be useful for the determination of acute Toxocara infection. Moreover, this test should be accompanied by other immunological markers of examined patients (e.g., increased total IgE, eosinophilia, and low-avidity IgG antibodies).

• MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• imunoglobulin E imunologie   MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• protilátky anti-idiotypické imunologie   MeSH
• protilátky helmintové imunologie   MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• senzitivita a specificita MeSH
• test sérových baktericidních protilátek MeSH
• Toxocara imunologie   MeSH
• toxokaróza diagnóza   imunologie   MeSH
• věkové faktory MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• anti-IgA MeSH Prohlížeč
• anti-IgG MeSH Prohlížeč
• imunoglobulin E MeSH
• protilátky anti-idiotypické MeSH
• protilátky helmintové MeSH

Using a small animal imaging system, migratory activity of Toxocara canis larvae stained by carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE) was observed post primary infection (PPI) and post reinfection (PR) of BALB/c mice. Each infection was performed with 1,000 larvae per mouse. Primary infections were performed with labeled larvae, while for challenge infections the reinfecting larvae were stained by CFSE. The worm burden in mouse organs was determined during a period from 6 h to 21 days and 4 months PPI and PR. In comparison with primary infections that led to the first larvae appearance in the brain after 60 h, greatly accelerated migration of the parasites administered 3 weeks PPI to the CNS and eyes of challenged mice was noted-in both organs the larvae appeared 6 h PR. In all challenged mice, reinfecting larvae prevailed in the resident parasite population. Preliminary experiments with Toxocara cati larvae also revealed early brain involvement in primarily infected mice. Staining of T. canis larvae by CFSE had no effect on the development of a humoral antibody response against T. canis excretory-secretory antigens. In ELISA, elevated levels of specific IgG and IgG1 were noted on day 14 PPI and the levels of antibodies increased till the end of experiment. Reinfection induced an increase in the levels of both antibodies. In terms of optical density, IgG1 antibodies gave higher values in all sera examined. In ELISA for IgG antibodies, an increase in the avidity index of around 50% was detected 1 month PPI; higher-avidity antibodies were also detected in sera of reinfected animals.

• MeSH
• barvení a značení MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• ELISA MeSH
• helmintózy centrálního nervového systému patologie   MeSH
• imunoglobulin G krev   MeSH
• larva patogenita   MeSH
• mozek parazitologie   MeSH
• myši inbrední BALB C MeSH
• myši MeSH
• oči parazitologie   MeSH
• oční nemoci parazitologie   patologie   MeSH
• parazitární zátěž MeSH
• protilátky helmintové krev   MeSH
• Toxocara canis patogenita   MeSH
• toxokaróza parazitologie   patologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• myši MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• imunoglobulin G MeSH
• protilátky helmintové MeSH

Mice are used most often as a model for human toxocariasis caused by Toxocara canis larvae. Variety of symptoms developing during the infection reflects behaviour of the larvae, which are able to escape from the intestine and further invade and damage various host organs. In order to find an approach enabling observation on parasite behaviour in mouse in vivo, we used an epifluorescence method and a small animal imaging system (SAIS). Larvae of T. canis were labelled by carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE) which incorporated on the parasite gastrointestinal tract. Following infection of BALB/c mice by CFSE-labelled larvae it has been observed that staining had no influence on viability and further migratory activity of the parasites through the host organs (the intestine, liver, lungs and brain) where they were detected by SAIS until day 17 p.i. In addition, the dye did not affect larval antigenic activity as well as the development of related immune response. Imaging of parasites labelled by CFSE, therefore, may represent a promising way to study behaviour of T. canis larvae in a paratenic host.

• MeSH
• anatomické struktury zvířat parazitologie   MeSH
• barvení a značení MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• fluoresceiny metabolismus   MeSH
• fluorescenční barviva metabolismus   MeSH
• modely nemocí na zvířatech MeSH
• myši inbrední BALB C MeSH
• myši MeSH
• nemoci hlodavců parazitologie   MeSH
• sukcinimidy metabolismus   MeSH
• Toxocara canis růst a vývoj   izolace a purifikace   patogenita   MeSH
• toxokaróza parazitologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• 5-(6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester MeSH Prohlížeč
• fluoresceiny MeSH
• fluorescenční barviva MeSH
• sukcinimidy MeSH