Toxocariasis as a cause of new pulmonary infiltrates.
Int J Tuberc Lung Dis
; 17(3): 412-7, 2013 Mar.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-23407232
ABSTRACT
SETTING:
Patients with new pulmonary infiltrates on chest computed tomography (CT) scans at a tertiary centre in South Korea.OBJECTIVE:
To demonstrate associations among radiological changes, blood eosinophilia (E) and Toxocara (T) seropositivity.DESIGN:
We retrospectively reviewed blood eosinophilia, Toxocara seropositivity, history of raw meat intake and radiological features, and divided study patients into four groups according to blood eosinophilia and Toxocara seropositivity.RESULTS:
Among 150 patients, 62 were E- and T-positive (E+T+), 45 were E-negative and T-positive (E-T+), 7 were E-positive and T-negative (E+T-), and 36 were E- and T-negative (E-T-). History of raw meat intake was found in 95 (63%) patients. The type and number of lesions on CT did not show any significant differences among the four groups. Among 119 patients who were not diagnosed with a specific disease, transient or migrating lesions were seen in 93% of E+T+, 93% of E-T+, 80% of E+T- and 52% of E-T- patients (P < 0.0001). Furthermore, the frequencies of migrating or new lesions and improvement were significantly higher in the Toxocara-positive group (88/95, 93%) than in the Toxocara-negative group (14/24, 58%; P = 0.002).CONCLUSION:
Transient and migratory pulmonary infiltrates on chest CT scans were associated with blood eosinophilia and Toxocara seropositivity. Clinicians should consider asymptomatic toxocariasis as a cause of unexplained new pulmonary infiltrates in countries with dietary habits of raw meat intake.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Health context:
3_ND
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Toxocara
/
Toxocariasis
/
Lung
/
Lung Diseases, Parasitic
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Animals
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
En
Journal:
Int J Tuberc Lung Dis
Year:
2013
Document type:
Article