A case of visceral larva migrans due to Toxocara canis showing varied manifestations

Abstract

A 21-year-old woman admitted for a low-grade fever, dry cough, polyarthralgia, and general fatigue was found to have elevateal accustomed to eating raw meat and cattle liver peripheral blood eosinophil counts and serum IgE. Chest X-ray imaging and computed tomography (CT) showed multiple small nodules in both lung fields. A multiple dot-ELISA assay of her serum showed that she had visceral larva migrans caused by Ascaris suum or Toxocara canis. Following treatment with albendazole, she developed myelopathy and was again admitted. A cerebrospinal fluid examination showed increased eosionophils and significant antibody elevation against T. canis. Her disease was considered to have entered the central nervous system, one of the target organs of visceral larva migrans. She was successfully treated with dietylcarbamazine and has shown no reccurrence. This case showed the different manifestations of visceral larva migrans and the rising incidence of this disease in Japan raises concerns about associated of diet.