Human case of visceral larva migrans syndrome: pulmonary and hepatic involvement

Almatary, A. M.; Bakir, H. Y.

doi:10.1515/helmin-2016-0033

Abstract

Visceral Larva Migrans (VLM) syndrome is commonly caused by larvae of roundworms Toxocara canis or Toxocara cati. Human toxocarosis is a soil-transmitted zoonosis, which may result in partial or general pathological changes in host tissues. We reported a case of 14-year-old boy presented with severe dry cough without dyspnea, mild chest and abdominal pain with general fatigue. Examination of peripheral blood showed marked increase in eosinophils. The chest radiography showed an infiltrative shadow in the lung fields. Chest CT demonstrated multiple opacities in both lungs. Abdominal CT showed multiple low attenuation areas in the liver. Ultrasound guided liver biopsy revealed granulomas with severe eosinophilic infiltration. The boy was treated with albendazole and responded radically. It is worth mentioning that this is the first case of hepato-pulmonary VLM syndrome in Egypt.

References

Arrango, C.A. (1998): Visceral larva migrans and the hyper-eosinophilia syndrome. South. Med. J., 9: 882 – 883. 10.1097/00007611-199809000-00019
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ashwath, M.K., Robinson, D.R., Katner, H.P. (2004): A presumptive case of toxocariasis associated with eosinophilic pleural effusion: case report and literature review. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 71: 764
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Baldisserotto, M., Conchin, C.F., Soares Mda, G., Araujo, M.A., Kramer, B. (1999): Ultrasound findings in children with toxocariasis: report on 18 cases. Pediatr. Radiol., 29: 316 – 319
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bartelink, A.K., Kortbeek, L.M., Huidekoper, H.J., Meulenbelt, J., Van Knapen, F. (1993): Acute respiratory failure due to Toxocara infection. Lancet, 342: 1234
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
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: 7 – 19
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Chang, S., Lim, J.H., Choi, D., Park, C.K., Kwon, N.H., Cho, S.Y., Choi, D.C. (2006): Hepatic visceral larva migrans of Toxocara canis: CT and sonographic findings. AJR Am. J. Roentgenol., 187(6): W622 – W629. 10.2214/AJR.05.1416
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Chitkara, R.K., Sarinas, P.S. (1997): Dirofilaria, visceral larva migrans, and tropical pulmonary eosinophilia. Semin. Respir. Infect., 12: 138 – 148
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Dent A.E., Kazura J.W. (2012): Toxocariasis (Visceral and Ocular). In: Kliegman, R.M., Stanton, B.M.D., Geme, J.St., Schor, N.F., Behrman, R.E. (Eds) Nelson Textbook of pediatrics. 19^th edition SAUNDERS pp. 1227 – 1228
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Despommier, D. (2003): Toxocariasis: clinical aspects, epidemiology, medical ecology, and molecular aspects. Clin. Microbiol. Rev., 16: 265 – 272
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Duprey, Z.H., Shantz, P.M. (2002): Toxocariasis and Baylisascariasis. In: Richardson, D.J., Krause, P.J. (Eds) North American Parasitic Zoonoses. New York: Springer, pp. 22 – 40
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
English, B.K. (2006): Toxocara Infection. In: MC Millain, J.A. (Ed) Oskis Paediatric Principles and Practice. 4^th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, pp. 1370 – 1372
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Feldman, G.J., Worth Parker, H. (1992): Visceral larva migrans associated with the hypereosinophilic syndrome and the onset of severe asthma. Ann. Intern. Med., 116: 838 – 840
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Goldsmid, J.M. (2003): Helminth Infections. In: McIntosh, N., Helms, P., Smyth, R. (Eds) Forfar & Arneil Text book of Paediatrics. 6^th ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier, pp. 1478 – 1480
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Graeff-Teixeira, C., da Silva, A.C., Yoshimura, K. (2009): Update on eosinophilic meningoencephalitis and its clinical relevance. Clin. Microbiol. Rev., 22: 322 – 348. 10.1128/CMR.00044-08
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Havasiová-Reiterová, K., TomaŠOVIČOVá, O., DubinskÝ, P. (1995): Effect of various doses of infective Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati eggs on the humoral response and distribution of larvae in mice. Parasitol. Res., 81(1): 13 – 17. 10.1007/BF00932411
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Holland, C., Smith, H.V. (2006): Toxocara: The Enigmatic Parasite. Wallingford, UK and Cambridge, MA: CABI Publishing, 324 pp.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Inouek., Inoue, Y., Arai, T., Nawa, Y., Kashiwa, Y., Yamamoto, S., Sakatani, M. (2002): Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia due to visceral larva migrans. Intern. Med., 41: 478 – 482
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Izumikawa, K., Kohno, Y., Izumikawa, K., Hara, K., Hayashi, H., Maruyama, H., Kohno, S. (2011): Eosinophilic Pneumonia Due to Visceral Larva Migrans Possibly Caused by Ascaris suum: a Case Report and Review of Recent Literatures. Jpn. J. Infect. Dis., 64: 428 – 432
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Jeanfaivre, T., Cimon, B., Tolstuchow, N., de Gentile, L., Chabasse, D., Tuchais, E. (1996): Pleural effusion and toxocariasis. Thorax, 51: 106 – 107
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Kaplan, K.J., Goodman, Z.D., Ishak, K.G. (2001): Eosinophilic granuloma of the liver: a characteristic lesion with relationship to visceral larva migrans. Am. J. Surg. Pathol., 25:1316 - 1321. 10.1097/00000478-200110000-00014
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ko, K.D., Lee, J.J., Kim, K.K., Suh, H.S., Hwang, I.C., Choi, S.J. (2015): Hepatic visceral larva migrans due to Toxocara canis in a 72-year-old man. Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 46: 181 – 183
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Lim, J.H. (2008): Toxocariasis of the liver: visceral larva migrans. Abdom. Imaging, 33: 151 – 156. 10.1007/s00261-007-9325-y
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Magnaval, J.F., Glickman, L.T., Dorchies, P., Morassin, B. (2001): Highlights of human toxocariasis. Korean J. Parasitol., 39: 1 – 11. 10.3347/kjp.2001.39.1.1
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Maruyama, H., Nawa, Y., Noda, S., Mimori, T., Choi, W.Y. (1996): An outbreak of visceral larva migrans due to Ascaris suum in Kyushu, Japan. Lancet, 347: 1766 – 1767
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Morii, K., Oda, T., Satoh, H., Kimura, Y., Aoyama, Y., Fujiwara, Y., Hiramatsu, Y., Okushin, H., Uesaka, K., Nakamura, S. (2015): Toxocara canis-associated visceral larva migrans of the liver. Int. J. Infect. Dis., 30: 148 – 149. 10.1016/j.ijid.2014.11.012
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Roig, J., Romeu, J., Riera, C., Texido, A., Domingo, C., Morera, J. (1992): Acute eosinophilic pneumonia due to toxocariasis with bronchoalveolar lavage findings. Chest, 102: 294 – 296
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Turrientes, M.C., Perez DE Ayala, A., Norman, F., Navarro, M., Perez-Molina, J.A., Rodriquez-Ferrer, M., Garate, T., Lopez-VELEZ, R. (2011): Visceral larva migrans in immigrants from Latin America. Emerg. Infect. Dis., 17: 1263 – 1265. 10.3201/eid1707.101204
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
UhlÍKOVá, M., Hübner, J., Kolárová, L., Polácková, M. (1996): Immunological studies on human larval toxocarosis. Cent. Eur. J. Public Health, 4: 242 – 245
Search in Google Scholar Back to article

Human case of visceral larva migrans syndrome: pulmonary and hepatic involvement

Abstract

Paradigm

My account