Seroprevalence of Toxocariasis in Children with Urticaria: A Population-based Study

Objective: This study described the prevalence of IgG class antibodies against Toxocara spp. and their association with urticaria in 2-to 12-year-old children. Methods: This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted between May 2012 and September 2014. The study sample comprised 168 children. Blood samples were collected to verify the presence of toxocariasis by using ELISA to detect IgG antibodies. The guardians of the children were interviewed to characterize the presence or absence of other diseases, such as urticaria. Results: The presence of urticaria was observed in 38% of participants. The seroprevalence of toxocariasis in this population was 16%. This study confirmed a positive association between urticaria and positive serology for Toxocara and a negative independent association with canine contact and the number of household residents. Conclusions: There are no previous reports in the literature of a population-based study that correlates the presence of urticaria with serology for toxocariasis.