Visceral larva migrans

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Visceral larva migrans
Specialty Infectious diseases   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Causes Nematodes of the genera Toxocara and Baylisascaris

Visceral larva migrans (VLM) is a condition in humans caused by the migratory larvae of certain nematodes, humans being a dead-end host, and was first reported in 1952. [1] Nematodes causing such zoonotic infections are Baylisascaris procyonis , [2] Toxocara canis , [3] Toxocara cati , [3] and Ascaris suum . [4] These nematodes can infect but not mature in humans and after migrating through the intestinal wall, travel with the blood stream to various organs where they cause inflammation and damage. Affected organs can include the liver, heart (causing myocarditis) and the CNS (causing dysfunction, seizures, and coma). A special variant is ocular larva migrans where usually T. canis larvae travel to the eye.

Contents

Only a few roundworm eggs are necessary to cause larva migrans in the human child or adult. However, visceral larva migrans seems to affect children aged 1–4 more often while ocular larva migrans more frequently affects children aged 7–8. Between 4.6% and 23% of U.S. children have been infected with the dog roundworm egg. This number is much higher in other parts of the world, such as Colombia, where up to 81% of children have been infected. [5]

Cutaneous larva migrans is a condition where nematodes such as Ancylostoma braziliense migrate to the skin.

Signs and Symptoms

Fever, hepatomegaly, leucocytosis, coughing etc. [6]

Cause

A list of causative agents of larva migrans syndromes is not agreed upon and varies with the author. [7]

Diagnosis

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Ascaris lumbricoides</i> One of several species of Ascaris

Ascaris lumbricoides is a large parasitic roundworm of the genus Ascaris. It is the most common parasitic worm in humans. An estimated 807 million–1.2 billion people are infected with A. lumbricoides worldwide. People living in tropical and subtropical countries are at greater risk of infection. Infection by Ascaris lumbricoides infection is known as Ascariasis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ascariasis</span> Disease caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides

Ascariasis is a disease caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides. Infections have no symptoms in more than 85% of cases, especially if the number of worms is small. Symptoms increase with the number of worms present and may include shortness of breath and fever in the beginning of the disease. These may be followed by symptoms of abdominal swelling, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Children are most commonly affected, and in this age group the infection may also cause poor weight gain, malnutrition, and learning problems.

Toxocariasis is an illness of humans caused by the dog roundworm and, less frequently, the cat roundworm. These are the most common intestinal roundworms of dogs, coyotes, wolves and foxes and domestic cats, respectively. Humans are among the many "accidental" or paratenic hosts of these roundworms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gnathostomiasis</span> Human disease

Gnathostomiasis, also known as larva migrans profundus, is the human infection caused by the nematode Gnathostoma spinigerum and/or Gnathostoma hispidum, which infects vertebrates.

<i>Baylisascaris</i> Genus of worms

Baylisascaris is a genus of roundworms that infect more than fifty animal species.

<i>Ascaris suum</i> Species of roundworm

Ascaris suum, also known as the large roundworm of pig, is a parasitic nematode that causes ascariasis in pigs. While roundworms in pigs and humans are today considered as two species with different hosts, cross-infection between humans and pigs is possible; some researchers have thus argued they are the same species. Ascariasis is associated with contact to pigs and pig manure in Denmark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toxocaridae</span> Family of roundworms

The Toxocaridae are a zoonotic family of parasitic nematodes that infect canids and felids and which cause toxocariasis in humans. The worms are unable to reproduce in humans.

<i>Ascaris</i> Genus of roundworms

Ascaris is a nematode genus of parasitic worms known as the "small intestinal roundworms", which is a type of parasitic worm. One species, Ascaris lumbricoides, affects humans and causes the disease ascariasis. Another species, Ascaris suum, typically infects pigs. Other ascarid genera infect other animals, such as Parascaris equorum, the equine roundworm, and Toxocara and Toxascaris, which infect dogs and cats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cutaneous larva migrans</span> Medical condition

Cutaneous larva migrans is a skin disease in humans, caused by the larvae of various nematode parasites of the hookworm family (Ancylostomatidae). The parasites live in the intestines of dogs, cats, and wild animals; they should not be confused with other members of the hookworm family for which humans are definitive hosts, namely Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus.

Larva migrans generally refers to disease caused by the migration of the larvae of a helminth to various tissues. Some variants of larva migrans include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ocular larva migrans</span> Medical condition

Ocular larva migrans (OLM), also known as ocular toxocariasis, is the ocular form of larva migrans syndrome. It occurs roundworm larvae invade the human eye. OLM infections in humans are caused by the larvae of Toxocara canis, Toxocara cati, Ascaris suum, or Baylisascaris procyonis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ancylostomiasis</span> Medical condition

Ancylostomiasis is a hookworm disease caused by infection with Ancylostoma hookworms. The name is derived from Greek ancylos αγκύλος "crooked, bent" and stoma στόμα "mouth".

<i>Toxocara canis</i> Species of roundworm

Toxocara canis is a worldwide-distributed helminth parasite that primarily infects dogs and other canids, but can also infect other animals including humans. The name is derived from the Greek word "toxon," meaning bow or quiver, and the Latin word "caro," meaning flesh. T. canis live in the small intestine of the definitive host. This parasite is very common in puppies and somewhat less common in adult dogs. In adult dogs, infection is usually asymptomatic but may be characterized by diarrhea. By contrast, untreated infection with Toxocara canis can be fatal in puppies, causing diarrhea, vomiting, pneumonia, enlarged abdomen, flatulence, poor growth rate, and other complications.

<i>Toxocara cati</i> Species of worm

Toxocara cati, also known as the feline roundworm, is a parasite of cats and other felids. It is one of the most common nematodes of cats, infecting both wild and domestic felids worldwide. Adult worms are localised in the gut of the host. In adult cats, the infection – which is called toxocariasis – is usually asymptomatic. However, massive infection in juvenile cats can be fatal.

<i>Toxascaris leonina</i> Species of roundworm

Toxascaris leonina is a common parasitic roundworm found in dogs, cats, foxes, and related host species. T. leonina is an ascarid nematode, a worldwide distributed helminth parasite which is in a division of eukaryotic parasites that, unlike external parasites such as lice and fleas, live inside their host. The definitive hosts of T. leonina include canids and felines (cats), while the intermediate hosts are usually rodents, such as mice or rats. Infection occurs in the definitive host when the animal eats an infected rodent. While T. leonina can occur in either dogs or cats, it is far more frequent in cats.

<i>Ancylostoma braziliense</i> Species of worm

Ancylostoma braziliense is a species of hookworm belonging to the genus Ancylostoma. It is an intestinal parasite of domestic cats and dogs. Severe infection is often fatal to these pets, especially in puppies and kittens. The infection is particularly endemic in the southern United States. It is most often confused with the zoonotic hookworm species Ancylostoma ceylanicum because of their uncanny resemblance.

<i>Baylisascaris procyonis</i> Species of roundworm

Baylisascaris procyonis, also known by the common name raccoon roundworm, is a roundworm nematode, found ubiquitously in raccoons, the definitive hosts. It is named after H. A. Baylis, who studied them in the 1920s–30s, and Greek askaris. Baylisascaris larvae in paratenic hosts can migrate, causing larva migrans. Baylisascariasis as the zoonotic infection of humans is rare, though extremely dangerous due to the ability of the parasite's larvae to migrate into brain tissue and cause damage. Concern for human infection has been increasing over the years due to the urbanization of rural areas, resulting in the increase in proximity and potential human interaction with raccoons.

Gnathostoma hispidum is a nematode (roundworm) that infects many vertebrate animals including humans. Infection of Gnathostoma hispidum, like many species of Gnathostoma causes the disease gnathostomiasis due to the migration of immature worms in the tissues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cat worm infections</span> Worm infections in cats

Cat worm infections, the infection of cats (Felidae) with parasitic worms, occur frequently. Most worm species occur worldwide in both domestic and other cats, but there are regional, species and lifestyle differences in the frequency of infestation. According to the classification of the corresponding parasites in the zoological system, infections can be divided into those caused by nematode and flatworms - in the case of the latter, mainly cestoda and trematoda - while other strains are of no veterinary significance. While threadworms usually do not require an intermediate host for their reproduction, the development cycle of flatworms always proceeds via alternate hosts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nematode infection in dogs</span> Threadworm infections of dogs are frequent

Nematode infection in dogs - the infection of dogs with parasitic nemamotodes - are, along with tapeworm infections and infections with protozoa, frequent parasitoses in veterinary practice. Nematodes, as so-called endoparasites, colonize various internal organs - most of them the digestive tract - and the skin. To date, about 30 different species of nematode have been identified in domestic dogs; they are essentially also found in wild dog species. However, the majority of them often cause no or only minor symptoms of disease in adult animals. The infection therefore does not necessarily have to manifest itself in a worm disease (helminthosis). For most nematodes, an infection can be detected by examining the feces for eggs or larvae. Roundworm infection in dogs and the hookworm in dogs is of particular health significance in Central Europe, as they can also be transmitted to humans (zoonosis). Regular deworming can significantly reduce the frequency of infection and thus the risk of infection for humans and dogs.

References

  1. Beaver, P. C.; Snyder, C. H.; Carrera, G. M.; Dent, J. H.; Lafferty, J. W. (1952). "Chronic eosinophilia due to visceral larva migrans; report of three cases". Pediatrics. 9 (1): 7–19. doi:10.1542/peds.9.1.7. PMID   14911260. S2CID   245071279.
  2. Gavin, P. J.; Kazacos, K. R.; Shulman, S. T. (2005). "Baylisascariasis". Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 18 (4): 703–18. doi:10.1128/CMR.18.4.703-718.2005. PMC   1265913 . PMID   16223954.
  3. 1 2 Beaver, PC (1959). "Visceral and cutaneous larva migrans". Public Health Reports. 74 (4): 328–32. doi:10.2307/4590442. JSTOR   4590442. PMC   1929226 . PMID   13645880.
  4. Sakai, S.; Shida, Y.; Takahashi, N.; Yabuuchi, H.; Soeda, H.; Okafuji, T.; Hatakenaka, M.; Honda, H. (2006). "Pulmonary Lesions Associated with Visceral Larva Migrans Due to Ascaris suum or Toxocara canis: Imaging of Six Cases". American Journal of Roentgenology. 186 (6): 1697–1702. doi:10.2214/AJR.04.1507. PMID   16714661.
  5. Artem Cheprasov. 2012. Death at the Playground. Guru Magazine. 11. pp. 59-61.
  6. "Visceral Larva Migrans - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics".
  7. Iowa State University (May 2005). "Larva migrans" (PDF). Retrieved November 10, 2010.