The seroprevalence of Toxocara canis antibodies in children aged from 1 to 12 yr old was evaluated in Pelotas City, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Human toxocariasis or visceral larva migrans (VLM) was diagnosed with the use of an ELISA based on the T. canis excretory–secretory (TES) antigens; Western blotting was used to confirm the ELISA-positive results. From 427 samples, 50.6% were positive for the presence of anti-TES antibodies. A confirmatory test (Western blot) was carried out on a sample of the ELISA-positive sera (n = 70), and all were positive. The Western blots had specific banding pattern characteristics, where the 30-kDa fraction demonstrated the highest reactivity. This fraction could be important for the specific diagnosis of toxocariasis.
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1 June 2013
Seroprevalence of Toxocara Infection in Children from Southern Brazil
Elizandra R. Schoenardie,
Carlos J. Scaini,
Claudiomar S. Brod,
Michele S. Pepe,
Marcos M. Villela,
Alan J. A. McBride,
Sibele Borsuk,
Maria E. A. Berne
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Journal of Parasitology
Vol. 99 • No. 3
June 2013
Vol. 99 • No. 3
June 2013