Toxascariasis as a cause of renal disease in children in Sharkia governorate, Egypt

ABSTRACT

84 children [40 males and 44 females] suffering from renal troubles were chosen, as well as 20 healthy children as a control group. Urine and stool of patients were examined and chosen to be free from parasitic infections other than Toxocara. Each child was subjected to history taking, full clinical examination, urine analysis, kidney function tests and differential leukocytic count, examination of sera and urine by ELISA and microprecipitin tests for Toxocara antibodies. ELISA revealed 10.7% of patients to be seropositive for toxocariasis versus 5.3% in control group. This difference was statistically insignificant. In urine, ELISA revealed 2 positive cases out of the 84 patients, while it was negative in control group. These 2 cases suffered from nephrotic syndrome. Microprecipitin test in sera was positive in 9.5% of patients and negative in control group. It was also negative in urine of patients and control group. Eosinophilia was found in 66.6% of seropositive patients. IgG antibodies to Toxocara were detected in males more than females between the age of 2 - 7 years, but insignificant. It was also found in 77.7% of rural compared with 22.2% of urban areas. This difference was statistically significant. It was concluded that toxocariasis should not be missed in the differential diagnosis of such renal diseases, especially those who are not respond to the traditional management