In the present paper the main aspects of the natural history of human infection by Toxocara larvae that occasionally result in the occurrence of visceral and/or ocular larva migrans syndrome were reviewed. The contribution by Brazilian researchers was emphasized, especially the staff of the Tropical Medicine Institute of São Paulo (IMT).

BACKGROUND Hookworm-related cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) is a common but neglected tropical skin disease caused by the migration of animal hookworm larvae in the epidermis. The disease causes intense pruritus and is associated with important morbidity. The extent to which CLM impairs skin disease-associated life quality has never been studied. METHODS A modified version of the Dermatology Li...

New information indicates that toxocariasis is the most common human parasitic worm infection in the United States, affecting millions of Americans living in poverty. The infection is also highly prevalent in many developing countries and its global importance may be greatly underestimated. Toxocariasis results from zoonotic transmission of the roundworms, Toxocara canis and T. cati from dogs a...

Cutaneous larva migrans is a self-limited cutaneous eruption caused by larva of roundworms that do not normally parasitize humans. Ankylostoma brazielensis, the dog and cat hookworm, is the most common agent. The disease is found in tropical and subtropical regions and may be seen in travelers from these regions. We report a case of a 37-year-old Iranian man who had cutaneous larva migrans afte...

mopolitan roundworms that infect dogs, especially puppies, and cats. T. canis infection in humans occurs by ingestion of the embryonic eggs, which are shed in the feces of infected dogs. Toxocariasis is manifested in three different syndromes: visceral larva migrans (VLM), ocular larva migrans (OLM), and covert toxocariasis (1, 2). VLM is usually a disease of children 1 to 6 year old, and it ma...

Area and Costa Rica in general, free-ranging dogs are common , including at playgrounds and school yards, sites also vulnerable to nocturnal visits by raccoons. Dogs can have patent B. procyonis parasite infections and can play a role in transmission of the parasite from raccoons to humans. In Costa Rica, cases of larva migrans have been reported. The Unidad de Investigación y Análisis, Regis-t...

Toxocara canis is a dog helminth which causes visceral larva migrans (VLM) when infecting humans as a larva. The infection is demonstrated by detecting IgG antibodies against excretory-secretory larval antigens (ESLA) in serum by ELISA. The production of ESLA involves the collection of adult worms from dog puppy stools, the separation of eggs from dissected uteri, and the in vitro growing of eg...