TOXOCARA CANIS

Course overview

HUMAN TOXOCARIASIS IS A HELMINTH INFECTION THAT PRIMARILY IMPACTS INDIVIDUALS OF LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS IN TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL REGIONS AROUND THE WORLD. TOXOCARIASIS IS A ROUNDWORM, ALSO KNOWN AS NEMATODE, THAT RARELY CAUSES CLINICAL PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, IT DOES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE BLINDNESS OR MENINGOENCEPHALITIS. TWO MAIN SPECIES OF TOXOCARA AFFECT HUMANS: TOXOCARA CANIS AND TOXOCARA CATI. HOSTS INCLUDE CATS, DOGS, FOXES, COYOTES, AND WOLVES. THESE HOSTS HARBOR THE NEMATODES IN THEIR GUTS, SHEDDING THE EGGS IN THEIR FECES. THE EMBRYONATED EGGS REMAIN INFECTIOUS FOR YEARS OUTSIDE THE HOST. IN THE WILD, CARNIVOROUS ANIMALS SUCH AS CATS AND DOGS CONSUME INFECTED MEAT OR SIMPLY SOIL CONTAINING THE EGGS, AND THE PARASITE PERSISTS IN THEIR GUT. ADDITIONALLY, TRANSPLACENTAL TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED IN DOGS AND CATS. HUMANS ARE AMONGST A PLETHORA OF POSSIBLE INTERMEDIATE HOSTS. CLINICAL DISEASE RESULTS FROM THE MIGRATION OF THE PARASITE THROUGH EXTRAINTESTINAL TISSUE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF TOXOCARA CANIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM MEMBERS IN COLLABORATING TO PROVIDE WELL-COORDINATED CARE AND ENHANCE PATIENT OUTCOMES.