Toxocariasis is one of the most common helminthiases worldwide. However, there is a lack of data regarding Southern Italy. We have evaluated the seroprevalence and associated environmental factors of toxocariasis in a sample of adults living in the city of Catania. Presence of anti-Toxocara canis IgG antibodies was searched using an ELISA test using excretory/secretory antigens. Environmental risk factors have been evaluated with a face-to-face questionnaire. Two hundred eighty-seven subjects (193 [67.3%] women, mean age 48.1±15.6 years) were enrolled, and presence of anti T. canis antibodies was found in 23 participants, of whom 18 (78.3%) were women with a mean age of 51.1±14.0 years, giving a seroprevalence of 8.0% (95%CI 5.4-11.7). At multivariate analysis, a positive association for subjects with more than three siblings (adjOR 3.17; 95%CI 1.09-9.25) was recorded. Our study confirms that exposition to T. canis is frequent also in urban areas of western countries.
Seroprevalence of Toxocara canis in the city of Catania, Italy / Nicoletti A.; Cicero C.E.; Mantella A.; Giuliano L.; Rascuna C.; Paradisi V.; Bartoloni A.; Zappia M.; Sofia V.. - In: MEDITERRANEAN JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES. - ISSN 2035-3006. - ELETTRONICO. - 11:(2019), pp. e2019031-e2019031. [10.4084/MJHID.2019.031]
Seroprevalence of Toxocara canis in the city of Catania, Italy
Mantella A.;Bartoloni A.;
2019
Abstract
Toxocariasis is one of the most common helminthiases worldwide. However, there is a lack of data regarding Southern Italy. We have evaluated the seroprevalence and associated environmental factors of toxocariasis in a sample of adults living in the city of Catania. Presence of anti-Toxocara canis IgG antibodies was searched using an ELISA test using excretory/secretory antigens. Environmental risk factors have been evaluated with a face-to-face questionnaire. Two hundred eighty-seven subjects (193 [67.3%] women, mean age 48.1±15.6 years) were enrolled, and presence of anti T. canis antibodies was found in 23 participants, of whom 18 (78.3%) were women with a mean age of 51.1±14.0 years, giving a seroprevalence of 8.0% (95%CI 5.4-11.7). At multivariate analysis, a positive association for subjects with more than three siblings (adjOR 3.17; 95%CI 1.09-9.25) was recorded. Our study confirms that exposition to T. canis is frequent also in urban areas of western countries.
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