Toxocara Seropositivity, Atopy and Wheezing in Children Living in Poor Neighbourhoods in Urban Latin American

Mendonça, Lívia Ribeiro, Veiga, Rafael Valente, Dattoli, Vitor Camilo Cavalcante, Figueiredo, Camila Alexandrina, Fiaccone, Rosemeire, Santos, Jackson, Cruz, Álvaro Augusto, Rodrigues, Laura Cunha, Cooper, Philip, Pontes-de-Carvalho, Lain Carlos, Barreto, Maurício Lima and Alcantara-Neves, Neuza Maria (2012) 'Toxocara Seropositivity, Atopy and Wheezing in Children Living in Poor Neighbourhoods in Urban Latin American'. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol 6, Issue 11, e1886.

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Abstract

Background

Toxocara canis and T. cati are parasites of dogs and cats, respectively, that infect humans and cause human toxocariasis. Infection may cause asthma-like symptoms but is often asymptomatic and is associated with a marked eosinophilia. Previous epidemiological studies indicate that T. canis infection may be associated with the development of atopy and asthma.

Objectives

To investigate possible associations between Toxocara spp. seropositivity and atopy and childhood wheezing in a population of children living in non-affluent areas of a large Latin American city.

Methods

The study was conducted in the city of Salvador, Brazil. Data on wheezing symptoms were collected by questionnaire, and atopy was measured by the presence of aeroallergen-specific IgE (sIgE). Skin prick test (SPT), total IgE and peripheral eosinophilia were measured. Toxocara seropositivity was determined by the presence of anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies, and intestinal helminth infections were determined by stool microscopy.

Findings

Children aged 4 to 11 years were studied, of whom 47% were seropositive for anti-Toxocara IgG; eosinophilia >4% occurred in 74.2% and >10% in 25.4%; 59.6% had elevated levels of total IgE; 36.8% had sIgE≥0.70 kU/L and 30.4% had SPT for at least one aeroallergen; 22.4% had current wheezing symptoms. Anti-Toxocara IgG was positively associated with elevated eosinophils counts, total IgE and the presence of specific IgE to aeroallergens but was inversely associated with skin prick test reactivity.

Conclusion

The prevalence of Toxocara seropositivity was high in the studied population of children living in conditions of poverty in urban Brazil. Toxocara infection, although associated with total IgE, sIgE and eosinophilia, may prevent the development of skin hypersensitivity to aeroallergens, possibly through increased polyclonal IgE and the induction of a modified Th2 immune reaction.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	QX Parasitology > QX 20 Research (General) QX Parasitology > Helminths. Annelida > QX 277 Ascaroidea WA Public Health > WA 30 Socioeconomic factors in public health (General) WS Pediatrics > Diseases of Children and Adolescents > By System > WS 280 Respiratory system
Faculty: Department:	Groups (2002 - 2012) > Molecular & Biochemical Parasitology Group
Digital Object Identifer (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001886
Depositing User:	Lynn Roberts-Maloney
Date Deposited:	26 Jan 2015 12:30
Last Modified:	06 Feb 2018 13:08
URI:	https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/4800

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