Headaches, epilepsy because of parasitic roundworm in cats and dogs

Parasitic experts - Medical University Pham Ngoc Thach Ho Chi Minh City warns, do not clean hands after playing with cats and dogs, people can suffer brain damage leading to headaches, epilepsy, even Only paralyzed due to parasitic roundworm infection in cats and dogs.

On August 14, Dr. Tran Thi Hong - Lecturer of Department of Parasitology, Pham Ngoc Thach Medical University, said that Toxocara canis dog roundworm disease was recognized by the world in 1952 for the first time in children. Liver and lung syndrome. In Vietnam, in 1997-2000, the first cases were recorded at Children's Hospital 2 and Tropical Diseases Hospital in patients with neurological problems caused by parasitic nematode in cats and dogs thanks to testing. ELISA immunity.

Nguyen Thi HH, 11 years old, lives in Cu Chi, hospitalized at Children's Hospital 2 due to headache. 3 months before admission, the baby had a dull headache in the forehead, 2 temples. The pain is gradually increasing day and night. He has been treated for many local painkillers but not helped. She had to quit school and then go to the Neurology Department - Children's Hospital 2.

After hospitalization, through blood tests, doctors found leukocytes to rise, indicating a parasite in the body. Thanks to the ELISA immunoassay, it was discovered that the host peanut parasite, parasitic roundworm in dogs - Toxocara canis.

Parasitic worms in dogs (Source: Wikimedia)

After that, the Neurology Department received another case of 9-year-old male child from Ham Tan - Thuan Hai into convulsions and chatter. Three years ago, she developed many convulsions, diagnosed and treated epilepsy. But more and more later, the more convulsions become, the more symptoms of chattering accompanied by behavioral disorders. After hospitalization, she continued to talk a lot, convulsing whole body 2-3 times / 24 hours, each episode lasting 3 minutes.

It has also been discovered that Toxocara canis larvae have damaged this child's brain.

Both of the children's homes have a lot of dogs. These two children often carry and play with these pets.

Wash your hands after playing with cats and dogs

Toxocara canis penetrates into the intestinal wall of humans and is transported by blood to the liver, lungs, brain and other organs. In these organs, larvae roam weekly or monthly, or lie dormant, forming strange objects that cause inflammation and stimulation of granulomas. However, since people are random hosts, parasites never develop to adulthood. Therefore, experts cannot find eggs in the stool of infected people.

According to many recent studies with ELISA immunoassay, the prevalence of this parasite in the community is from 0 to 13%. It is estimated that in Vietnam, this rate of infection is 5%.

When infected, cat dog roundworm can cause many diseases. With visceral larvae syndrome, patients may have skin hemorrhage (bruising, hives, lumps in the skin, swelling), persistent cough, neurological manifestations (headache, dynamic menstruation, abnormal movements, behavioral disorders, limb weakness, joint pain, vomiting fever .

According to Dr. Tran Thi Hong, many studies on internal parasitic diseases in adult patients have neurological manifestations, the total of Toxocara diseases accounts for the highest percentage. Particularly, her research in children showed that children aged 4-12 years old often suffer from neurological diseases caused by dog ​​Toxocara canis infection.

"The majority of pediatric patients are at risk behaviors such as contact with cats and dogs, contact with the soil . Children go to kindergarten, or kindergarten often likes to play with soil, eat soil, lick toys, suck their hands 30% of children in this age group often put their hands in their mouths, while older children play many games that interact with the land such as football, cat and dog, etc. " Hong said.

In adults, the disease is common at all ages, especially in the working age. It usually occurs in people who do not wash their hands after contact with the soil, play and hold cats and dogs.

If possible, children should only be played in places where dogs and cats are not available. Adults must educate children about hygiene, especially hand washing before eating. For cats and dogs that are raised as domestic pets, we need to periodically remove worms for cats and dogs.