J Korean Med Sci.  2012 Sep;27(9):1105-1108. 10.3346/jkms.2012.27.9.1105.

Meningitis by Toxocara canis after Ingestion of Raw Ostrich Liver

• Noh Y
• Hong ST
• Yun JY
• Park HK
• Oh JH
• Kim YE
• Jeon BS

• KMID: 1782147
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2012.27.9.1105

Abstract

Recently reports on toxocariasis are increasing by serodiagnosis in Korea. A previously healthy 17-yr-old boy complained of headache, fever, dyspnea, and anorexia. He showed symptoms and signs of eosinophilic meningitis with involvement of the lungs and liver. Specific IgG antibody to Toxocara canis larval antigen was positive in serum and cerebrospinal fluid by ELISA. He took raw ostrich liver with his parents 4 weeks before the symptom onset. His parents were seropositive for T. canis antigen but had no symptoms or signs suggesting toxocariasis. This is the first report of toxocariasis in a family due to ingestion of raw ostrich liver in Korea.

Keyword

Toxocara canis; Visceral Larva Migrans; Meningitis; Raw Liver; Ostrich

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Animals
Antibodies, Helminth/blood/cerebrospinal fluid
Eating
Humans
Larva/immunology
Liver/parasitology
Male
Meningitis/*diagnosis/parasitology
Struthioniformes
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Toxocara canis/growth & development/*immunology/isolation & purification
Toxocariasis/*diagnosis/parasitology/transmission
Antibodies, Helminth

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Computed tomography (CT) scan findings of the chest. Multiple nodules with ground glass opacity halo in the left upper lung field (A) and ill defined patches of nodular ground glass opacity are shown in the right middle (B) and the right lower lung field (C, D), which involve mainly the peripheral regions of the both lungs (arrows).

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