Relapse of toxocariasis after completion of four-week treatment with albendazole.

ABSTRACT

Food-borne toxocariasis caused by the consumption of raw meat or liver has occasionally been reported from East Asia. We treated a 38-year-old Japanese man who was infected with Toxocara in China and underwent a four-week treatment with albendazole. The liver and lung lesions disappeared after the treatment, suggesting that the treatment was successful. One month after the end of the treatment, the patient relapsed, and albendazole was administered again for eight weeks. The patient has remained relapse-free for one year. Although toxocariasis can heal spontaneously, in some cases, such as the present case, the disease relapses even after long-term treatment. In conclusion, different durations of treatment are recommended by various guidelines, and the duration of treatment needs to be modified with each case, considering the response to the treatment.