[Uveitis caused by Toxocara canis]. 2006

Zeljka Janjetović, and Zeljka Vuković Arar, and Miljenko Marinić, and Nenad Pandak
Odjel za ocne bolesti, Opća bolnica "Dr. Josip Bencević", Slavonski Brod, Hrvatska. zeljka.janjetovic@sb.htnet.hr

The course of disease in a 64-year-old man with toxocariasis and ocular manifestations of the disease, treated at Departments of Ophthalmology and of Infectious Diseases, Dr. Josip Bencević General Hospital in Slavonski Brod, Croatia, is presented. The patient was hospitalized for bilateral uveitis of unknown etiology. In several days, the patient developed high fever with respiratory tract involvement and hepatomegaly. Worsening of the patient's general condition and laboratory findings of leukocytosis and eosinophilia indicated clinical examinations for parasitosis, in consultation with a specialist for infectious diseases. Specific serologic testing pointed to toxocariasis. The patient's general condition and ophthalmologic status improved in response to specific therapy with anthelmintics and corticosteorids. Toxocariasis is an acute infectious disease that primarily affects animals and less frequently humans. Clinically, toxocariasis manifests as a systemic disease, and on the eye as parasitic posterior uveitis. The disease is caused by the nematodes Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati, the species parasitic in the intestine of dogs and cats, respectively. When the parasite eggs reach human intestine, larvae are released and migrate via blood and lymphatic system to the liver, lungs, eyes, and other organs. Considering the mechanism of disease transmission, the potential preventive measures should include treatment and appropriate anthelmintic management of infected animals, and due control of public areas such as public gardens, promenades, playgrounds, along with taking pets for exercise to the sites specially intended for this purpose.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014120 Toxocariasis Infection by round worms of the genus TOXOCARA, usually found in wild and domesticated cats and dogs and foxes, except for the larvae, which may produce visceral and ocular larva migrans in man. Toxocariases
D014605 Uveitis Inflammation of part or all of the uvea, the middle (vascular) tunic of the eye, and commonly involving the other tunics (sclera and cornea, and the retina). (Dorland, 27th ed) Uveitides
D015822 Eye Infections, Parasitic Mild to severe infections of the eye and its adjacent structures (adnexa) by adult or larval protozoan or metazoan parasites. Ocular Infections, Parasitic,Parasitic Eye Infections,Eye Infection, Parasitic,Infection, Parasitic Eye,Infection, Parasitic Ocular,Infections, Parasitic Eye,Infections, Parasitic Ocular,Ocular Infection, Parasitic,Parasitic Eye Infection,Parasitic Ocular Infection,Parasitic Ocular Infections
D017166 Toxocara canis A species of parasitic nematode found in the intestine of dogs. Lesions in the brain, liver, eye, kidney, and lung are caused by migrating larvae. In humans, these larvae do not follow normal patterns and may produce visceral larva migrans (LARVA MIGRANS, VISCERAL). Toxocara cani,canis, Toxocara

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