CARRIERSHIP OF ANTI-TOXOCARA IGG ANTIBODIES AMONG PATIENTS WITH CLINICAL ALLERGY

Abstract

Introduction: Toxocariasis is a zoonotic helminthosis caused by nematodes of the Toxocara genus. Humans are accidental hosts for the parasite. As Toxocara larvae migrate throughout the organism, they lead to the formation of allergic reactions. Purpose: Our goal is to study the connection between clinical allergy and toxocariasis by examining the frequency of infection with Toxocara spp. and the levels of anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies in patients with acute urticaria, chronic urticaria and other forms of allergic reactions. Materials and methods: Between 2018 and 2023, we tested 310 allergic patients serologically for anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies via the ELISA method. In addition we also tested 47 non-allergic people as a control group. Results: In our study, we detected anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies in 25,48% of allergic patients. We found that patients with allergy were statistically more likely to be seropositive for anti-Toxocara antibodies compared to the control group. We did not find any significant difference in the levels of antibodies between different types of allergic reactions. Conclusion: Our results show the need for serological testing for toxocariasis in all allergic patients. Additional methods and/or diagnostic markers are needed for proper assessment of cases and whether treatment is necessary.