Basic Summary for Toxocariasis

Main name of condition: Toxocariasis
Other names or spellings: Toxocara infection, Toxocara

What is Toxocariasis?
  Brief description of Toxocariasis: Worm infection from roundworm larvae
  Parent types of Toxocariasis: Worm conditions, Zoonotic Diseases, Diseases contagious from food, Diseases contagious from contaminated water, Diseases contagious from dogs, Diseases contagious from cats, Diseases contagious from animals
  Types of Toxocariasis: Toxocara canis, Toxocara cati

How many people get Toxocariasis?
  Incidence (annual) of Toxocariasis: estimated 10,000 annual cases in USA (DPD)
  Incidence Rate of Toxocariasis: approx 1 in 27,200 or 0.00% or 10,000 people in USA [about data]
  Prevalance of Toxocariasis: In the United States, an estimated 10,000 cases of Toxocara infections occur yearly in humans.¹

Who gets Toxocariasis?
Profile for Toxocariasis: Young children; owners of dogs and cats. ¹

How serious is Toxocariasis?
Prognosis of Toxocariasis: In most cases, Toxocara infections are not serious, and many people, especially adults infected by a small number of larvae (immature worms), may not notice any symptoms. The most severe cases are rare, but are more likely to occur in young children, who often play in dirt, or eat dirt (pica) contaminated by dog or cat stool. ¹

What causes Toxocariasis?
Class of Condition for Toxocariasis: parasite worm
Risk factors for Toxocariasis: see risk factors for Toxocariasis

What are the symptoms of Toxocariasis?
Symptoms of Toxocariasis: see symptoms of Toxocariasis

Can anyone else get Toxocariasis?
More information: see contagiousness of Toxocariasis

How is it treated?
Treatments for Toxocariasis: see treatments for Toxocariasis
Prevention of Toxocariasis: see prevention of Toxocariasis

Footnotes:
1. excerpt from Toxocariasis: DPD

Last revision: June 13, 2003

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