RESUMO
Dois inquéritos sorológicos empregando testes imunoenzimáticos (ELISA) anti-Toxocara foram realizados em moradores da periferia de Campinas (SP, Brasil) em janeiro de 1999 e janeiro de 2000, envolvendo, respectivamente, 138 e 115 indivíduos escolhidos aleatoriamente. Dos 75 indivíduos examinados em ambas as ocasiões, 67 apresentaram resultados negativos em 1999, observando-se soroconversão em 12 no segundo inquérito. Tais resultados indicam taxa anual de incidência de 17,9 por cento para infecção por Toxocara na região.
Assuntos
Animais , Humanos , Anticorpos Anti-Helmínticos , Toxocara canis , Toxocaríase , Brasil , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Incidência , Estudos Soroepidemiológicos , População Suburbana , ToxocaríaseRESUMO
The occurrence of human Toxocara infection was evaluated in three neighborhoods of the periphery of the Campinas municipality (Jardim Santa Mônica, Jardim Sõo Marcos and Jardim Campineiro) in 1999. Forty residences and 138 residents were randomly selected by drawing lots and were submitted to a seroepidemiological survey, which included blood collection for the immunoenzymatic detection (ELISA) of anti-Toxocara antibodies and a blood count, and the application of a semi-structured questionnaire for the evaluation of epidemiological data. Significant levels of anti-Toxocara antibodies were detected in 23.9 percent of the 1999 samples. No significant difference in the frequency of infection according to age was observed. Environmental contamination with Toxocara eggs was observed in 12.3 and 14.0 percent of 57 soil samples collected in the same region in December 1998 and July 1999, respectively. Univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression of the data obtained from the questionnaires and of the results of the serological tests, suggest a significant influence of socioeconomic variables on the frequency of human infection with Toxocara under the conditions prevalent in the study area