TY - JOUR
T1 - Seroepidemiology of Toxocara canis infection among mountain aboriginal schoolchildren living in contaminated districts in eastern Taiwan
AU - Fan, Chia-Kwung
AU - Hung, C. C.
AU - Du, W. Y.
AU - Liao, Chien-Wei
AU - Su, K. E.
PY - 2004/12
Y1 - 2004/12
N2 - We conducted a seroepidemiological study of Toxocara canis infection among mountain aboriginal schoolchildren aged 7-12 years living in contaminated districts in eastern Taiwan, To detect sera IgG (≥1:64) we used a T. canis larval excretory-secretory antigen-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A short questionnaire elicited information on the practices of raising dogs, playing with soil, eating raw vegetables, or whether the child normally washed his/her hands before eating. The overall seroprevalence was quite high, reaching 76.6% (252/329). Neither age nor gender seemed to be important factors related to a positive serology. Aboriginal schoolchildren who raised dogs (OR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.04-3.19, P = 0.03), or played with soil (OR = 2.52, 95% CI: 1.49-4.25, P <0.001) seemed to be more susceptible to T. canis infection than those who did not. Children who habitually washed their hands before eating (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.33-0.97, P = 0.04) had a lower chance of acquiring T. canis infection than those who did not.
AB - We conducted a seroepidemiological study of Toxocara canis infection among mountain aboriginal schoolchildren aged 7-12 years living in contaminated districts in eastern Taiwan, To detect sera IgG (≥1:64) we used a T. canis larval excretory-secretory antigen-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A short questionnaire elicited information on the practices of raising dogs, playing with soil, eating raw vegetables, or whether the child normally washed his/her hands before eating. The overall seroprevalence was quite high, reaching 76.6% (252/329). Neither age nor gender seemed to be important factors related to a positive serology. Aboriginal schoolchildren who raised dogs (OR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.04-3.19, P = 0.03), or played with soil (OR = 2.52, 95% CI: 1.49-4.25, P <0.001) seemed to be more susceptible to T. canis infection than those who did not. Children who habitually washed their hands before eating (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.33-0.97, P = 0.04) had a lower chance of acquiring T. canis infection than those who did not.
KW - Aboriginal schoolchildren
KW - Eastern Taiwan
KW - Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
KW - Toxocara canis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=11144297702&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=11144297702&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2004.01332.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2004.01332.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 15598263
AN - SCOPUS:11144297702
VL - 9
SP - 1312
EP - 1318
JO - Tropical Medicine and International Health
JF - Tropical Medicine and International Health
SN - 1360-2276
IS - 12
ER -