Clinical and Laboratory Findings among Patients with Toxocariasis in Medic Medical Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in 2017–2019

BACKGROUND: Human toxocariasis is prevalent in many countries but this disease has been rarely reported from Vietnam. We aimed to investigate the clinical and laboratory findings and assess possible association between these findings in patients with toxocariasis in Vietnam. METHODS: A prospectively study, between October 2017 and June 2019 was performed involving 120 toxocariasis patients at Medic Medical Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The diagnosis of toxocariasis was established based on clinical, laboratory (eosinophilia, raised IgE concentration) and serological (positive Toxocara IgG ELISA test) evaluation as well as the exclusion of other helminthic coinfection. RESULTS: The most frequently reported manifestation was of skin (n = 93, 77.5%), including urticarial (n= 69, 57.5%) followed by neurologic, gastrointestinal and pulmonary signs/symptoms. Hepatic involvement occurred in 8.3% of the patients. No significant relationship between clinical findings and laboratory parameters was found except the higher values of eosinophil count and IgE concentration among patients with liver involvement. There was a significant relationship between eosinophil count and IgE concentration (r=0.389, P<0.001). Serological findings did not show a correlation with clinical and other laboratory findings. CONCLUSION: Our data revealed a wide range of clinical symptoms/signs and a high incidence of skin manifestations in patients with toxocariasis. Eosinophil count and IgE concentration are valuable markers for the evaluation of the disease.