Lack of evidence for Toxocara infection in Italian myelitis patients

Nicoletti A.; García H.H.; Cicero C.E.; Portaro G.; Giuliano L.; Patti F.; Sofia V.; Noh J.; Handali S.; Zappia M. · Neurological Sciences (2020) · DOI: 10.1007/s10072-019-04017-9

Resumen

Acute myelitis is a common neurological manifestation due to different causes, but in about 15–30% of cases its etiology remains unknown (idiopathic myelitis). Myelitis represents the most common manifestation of neurotoxocariasis, the infection of the human nervous system by larvae of the nematode Toxocara spp.; however, despite the high seroprevalence worldwide, its contribution to the burden of disease has not been assessed. We evaluated the presence of antibodies against Toxocara spp. in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from a sample of 28 patients with a diagnosis of idiopathic myelitis (N = 20) or encephalomyelitis (N = 8) who attended the Neurological Unit of the University Hospital of Catania, Sicily. Antibodies against Toxocara spp. were measured using a multiplex bead-based assay and Toxocara immunoblot using Toxocara canis excretory secretory antigens. All samples tested negative for the presence of anti-T. canis IgG antibodies. In this series, we found no evidence of a contribution of neurotoxocariasis to the burden of myelitis.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia