[Clinical analysis of eight patients with pulmonary toxocariasis]

Nihon Kokyuki Gakkai Zasshi. 2010 May;48(5):351-6.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

We encountered 8 adult cases of pulmonary toxocariasis. Five were asymptomatic, 1 had transient chest pain, 1 suffered from arthralgia and migrating skin pain, and 1 had chest discomfort due to pneumothorax. Infection was associated with the consumption of raw liver with paratenic hosts in 5 patients. The cause was suspected to be contact with infected young dogs in 1 case and was undetermined in 2 cases. All 8 cases showed some abnormalities in their laboratory examination results including eosinophilia (>500/microl) and elevated IgE (>100 IU), and all had positive results in serological examinations for the larval excretory-secretory product of Toxocara canis. In 7 patients, excluding the patient with pneumothorax, chest computed tomography demonstrated multiple small pulmonary lesions, most of which were either nodules with halos, or ground-glass opacities. One patient recovered without medication, while the other 7 were treated with albendazole (ABZ) with good responses. Although the optimal duration of ABZ therapy has not been established, 4 weeks or longer seemed necessary to obtain a complete cure in pulmonary toxocariasis.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Albendazole / therapeutic use
  • Anthelmintics / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung Diseases, Parasitic / diagnosis*
  • Lung Diseases, Parasitic / drug therapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Toxocariasis / diagnosis*
  • Toxocariasis / drug therapy

Substances

  • Anthelmintics
  • Albendazole