S Toxocara Seroprevalence and Associated Risk Factors in the United States

Keywords

tropical medical, toxocariasis, seroprevalence of toxocariasis

Abstract

Caused by the parasitic nematodes Toxocara canis and cati, toxocariasis in humans can result in covert toxocariasis, ocular toxocariasis, visceral larval migrans, and neurotoxocariasis. A common infection, toxocariasis exposure varies widely within and between countries, with a previous estimate of Toxocara seroprevalence using data from 1988 to 1994 in the United States of approximately 13%. Age, poverty, sex, educational attainment, ethnicity, and region have been associated with Toxocara seroprevalence. In this study, we sought to determine the seroprevalence of and factors associated with Toxocara seropositivity in the United States using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2011 to 2014 to provide a more recent estimate of Toxocaraseroprevalence in the United States. We found an overall Toxocara seroprevalence of 5.1%. Increasing age, male sex, low educational attainment, low income, and immigration status each was associated with Toxocaraseropositivity. Mexican Americans had reduced odds of exposure. These findings show that exposure to Toxocaracontinues in the United States and that several demographic factors influence the risk of exposure.

Original Publication Citation

Berrett, Andrew N., Lance D. Erickson, Shawn D. Gale, Allison Stone, Bruce L. Brown, and Dawson W. Hedges. (2017). “Toxocara seroprevalence and associated risk factors in the United States.” American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 97(6):1846-1850. DOI:10.4269/ajtmh.17-0542.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2017-12

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/5594

Publisher

The American Journal of Tropical and Hygiene

Language

English

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Sociology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Associate Professor

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS