Seroprevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Toxocariasis among College Students in Taipei City, Taiwan
FU، Chung-Jung نويسنده Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan AND Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan FU, Chung-Jung , KAO، Cheng-Yan نويسنده Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan KAO, Cheng-Yan , LEE، Yueh-Lun نويسنده Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology,School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan LEE, Yueh-Lun , LIAO، Chien-Wei نويسنده Dept. of Molecular Parasitology and Tropical Diseases, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan LIAO, Chien-Wei , CHEN، Po-Ching نويسنده Dept. of Molecular Parasitology and Tropical Diseases, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan CHEN, Po-Ching , CHUANG، Ting-Wu نويسنده Dept. of Molecular Parasitology and Tropical Diseases, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan CHUANG, Ting-Wu , WANG، Ying-Chin نويسنده Dept. of Molecular Parasitology and Tropical Diseases, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan WANG, Ying-Chin , CHOU، Chia-Mei نويسنده Dept. of Molecular Parasitology and Tropical Diseases, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan CHOU, Chia-Mei , HUANG، Ying-Chie نويسنده Dept. of Molecular Parasitology and Tropical Diseases, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan HUANG, Ying-Chie , Naito، Toshio نويسنده , , FAN، Chia-Kwung نويسنده Dept. of Molecular Parasitology and Tropical Diseases, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan FAN, Chia-Kwung
Background: Infection by Toxocara spp. is known to be significantly associated with partial epilepsy. It has become popular for people to raise dogs/cats as pets and consume roasted meat/viscera, and the status of Toxocara spp. infection, epilepsy awareness, and associated risk factors among the general population are currently unknown in Taiwan.
Methods: A seroepidemiological investigation among 203 college students (CSs), consisting of 110 males and 93 females with an average age of 21.5 ± 1.2 years, was conducted in 2009 in Taipei City. A Western blot analysis based on excretory-secretory antigens derived from Toxocara canis larvae (TcESs) was applied to determine the positivity of serum immunoglobulin G antibodies. A self-administered questionnaire was also given to obtain information about demographic characteristics, epilepsy awareness, and risk factors. A logistic regression model was applied for the statistical analysis using SPSS software.
Results: The overall seropositive rate of Toxocara spp. infection was 8.4% (17/203). As to epilepsy awareness, a non-significantly higher seroprevalence was found in CSs who claimed to "know" about epilepsy compared to those who did not know (P > 0.05).
Conclusions: It appears that appropriate educational programs are urgently needed to provide correct knowledge related to the prevention and control measures against Toxocara spp. infections to avoid potential threats by this parasite to the general population in Taiwan.