Toxocariasis is an infection transmitted from animals to humans (zoonosis) caused by the parasitic roundworms commonly found in the intestine of dogs (Toxocara canis) and cats (T.cati).
Is toxocariasis a disease?
Toxocariasis is the parasitic disease caused by the larvae of two species of Toxocara roundworms: Toxocara canis from dogs and, less commonly, Toxocara cati from cats.
What type of parasite is Toxocara canis?
Toxocara canis is a canine ascarid parasite which causes visceral larva migrans or ocular granulomas when humans become infected. Eggs excreted in the faeces of dogs require two weeks' incubation in the soil before they are infective.
Is toxocariasis a nematode?
Toxocariasis is human infection with nematode ascarid larvae that ordinarily infect animals. Symptoms are fever, anorexia, hepatosplenomegaly, rash, pneumonitis, asthma, or visual impairment.
Is Toxocara canis direct or indirect?
The life cycle can be either direct (through ingestion of infective ova) or indirect (through ingestion of infected paratenic hosts such as rodents, birds, worms, or mollusks). In contrast to dogs, there is no transplacental migration with Toxocara spp.
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