What is Toxocariasis?

What is Toxocariasis?

• Toxocariasis: A parasitic roundworm (Toxocara canis or Toxocara cati) infection that normally occurs in cats and dogs but can be transmitted to humans by ingesting the larvae or eggs. The infection may be asymptomatic or severe and symptoms depend on where the larvae travel to when they migrate through the body.
• 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.
  Source - Diseases Database

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Toxocariasis as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet

Toxocariasis: Introduction

Types of Toxocariasis:

Types of Toxocariasis:

• Toxocara canis - from dogs
• Toxocara cati - from cats
• more types...»

Broader 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
• Parasitic diseases
• Conditions involving a pathogen
• more types...»

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. (Source: excerpt from Toxocariasis: DPD)

Who gets Toxocariasis?

Profile for Toxocariasis: Young children; owners of dogs and cats. (Source: excerpt from Toxocariasis: DPD)

How serious is Toxocariasis?

Complications of Toxocariasis: see complications of 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. (Source: excerpt from Toxocariasis: DPD)

What causes Toxocariasis?

Causes of Toxocariasis: see causes of Toxocariasis
Risk factors for Toxocariasis: see risk factors for Toxocariasis

What are the symptoms of Toxocariasis?

Symptoms of Toxocariasis: see symptoms of Toxocariasis

Complications of Toxocariasis: see complications of Toxocariasis

Can anyone else get Toxocariasis?

More information: see contagiousness of Toxocariasis
Inheritance: see inheritance of Toxocariasis

Toxocariasis: Testing

Diagnostic testing: see tests for Toxocariasis.

Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Toxocariasis.

How is it treated?

Doctors and Medical Specialists for Toxocariasis: Infectious Disease Specialist ; see also doctors and medical specialists for Toxocariasis.
Treatments for Toxocariasis: see treatments for Toxocariasis
Prevention of Toxocariasis: see prevention of Toxocariasis

Name and Aliases of Toxocariasis

Main name of condition: Toxocariasis

Class of Condition for Toxocariasis: parasite worm

Toxocara infection, Toxocara, visceral larva migrans, Toxocara canis infection (canine roundworms), Toxocara catis infection (feline roundworms), Human infection with the larvae of canine or feline roundworms, Ocular larva migrans, OLM, Visceral larva migrans syndrome, VLM

Toxocariasis: Related Conditions

Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Toxocariasis:

• Roundworm
• Toxocara canis
• T canis
• Toxocara cati
• T cati
• Dog roundworm
• Cat roundworm
• Toxocara infection
• Covert toxocariasis
• Visceral larva migrans
• Ocular larva migrans
• Helminths
• Intestinal parasites

Search Specialists by State and City