FREQUENCY OF ANTI- Toxocara spp. ANTIBODIES IN INDIVIDUALS ATTENDED BY THE CENTRO DE SALUD FAMILIAR AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION WITH Toxocara canis EGGS IN DOG FECES, IN THE COASTAL NIEBLA TOWN, CHILE

Abstract

SUMMARY The frequency of anti-Toxocara spp. antibodies in individuals attended by the Centro de Salud Familiar in the coastal Niebla town, Chile, was related to the host and to environmental factors. IgG anti- Toxocara antibodies were detected with a commercial ELISA kit (SCIMEDX Corporation, USA). Samples with undetermined absorbance values were subjected to an additional ELISA standardized by the Instituto de Salud Pública, Chilean Health Ministry, a commercial ELISA (NOVATEC, Germany), and a commercial Western blot kit (LDBio Diagnostics, France). Hematological exams were performed using an automated blood counter and blood smears. Dog feces were collected from the ground along the main road in Niebla, including rural and urban locations. Ninety (25.4%) of the 355 examined individuals were positive by the ELISA test. The frequency of anti-Toxocara antibodies and the infection risk were significantly higher (p 0.05).

Keywords

• Seroprevalence
• Human toxocariasis
• Environmental contamination
• Eosinophilia