ĐẶC ĐIỂM LÂM SÀNG, CẬN LÂM SÀNG TRẺ NHIỄM TOXOCARA TẠI BỆNH VIỆN NHI TRUNG ƯƠNG

Abstract

Toxocariasis is a parasitic infection caused by the larval forms of Toxocara canis or Toxocara cati, transmitted to humans, especially children through the gastrointestinal tract following contact with contaminated environments or animals. Aims: To describe the clinical and paraclinical characteristics of pediatric toxocariasis at the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital. Materials and methods: A descriptive case series study was conducted on 74 children diagnosed with toxocariasis and treated at the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital from January 1, 2022, to June 30, 2025. Results: Of the total cases, 41.9% occurred in children under 6 years old and 48.6% in those aged 6–12 years, with a mean age of 7.3 ± 4.1 years. Boys accounted for 55.4% of the patients. Children from rural and mountainous areas represented 50% and 32.4% of cases, respectively. A history of household dogs or cats was present in 67.6%, with close contact reported in 48.6%.The most common clinical symptom was fever (82.4%). Gastrointestinal, neurological, and respiratory symptoms were observed in 45.9%, 29.7%, and 23% of patients, respectively. Cutaneous manifestations were relatively rare (10.8%). Peripheral eosinophilia was observed in 63.5% of patients, with a mean eosinophil count of 2.6 ± 1.2 G/L. Total IgE levels exceeded four times the upper normal limit in 54.1% of cases. Elevated AST and ALT levels were found in 24.3% and 18.9% of patients, respectively. Conclusions: Pediatric toxocariasis is frequently linked to exposure to domestic animals. Clinical manifestations are often nonspecific, making diagnosis challenging. However, peripheral eosinophilia, elevated total IgE, and characteristic hepatic lesions on imaging are valuable diagnostic indicators.