Abstract

Background: Toxocariasis in dogs and cats belongs to the group of “animal diseases”, which means diseases from vertebrates that are transmitted to humans. Children are very susceptible to this diseases due to their underdeveloped immune systems and high exposure to pathogens. Toxocara spp. larvae migrate to various human body organs including brain, eyes, liver, lung,... and cause some dangerous clinical symptoms. Objectives: Determine the seropositive rate of Toxocara spp. larvae and some associated factors among children at the study site. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Phuc Hung private general hospital, Quang Ngai province from April to September, 2022 on 405 children aged 3 - ≤ 15 years old, who were assigned ELISA test and direct interviews with family members using a set of closed-ended questions. Results: The seropositive rate of Toxocara spp. larvae in children is about 20.5%. Eosinophil in children who has seropositive of Toxocara spp. larvae is 4.84 times higher than normal. Households with dogs has the seropositive rate of Toxocara spp. larvae 2.38 times higher than households without dogs. Children who regularly holding dogs and expose to soil have the seropositive rate of Toxocara spp. larvae 3.35 and 3.21 times higher than those who do not have these habit, respectively. Children who do not often wash their hands before eating have the seropositive rate of Toxocara spp. larvae 1.14 times higher compared the group of children who regularly wash their hands before eating. Conclusion: Strengthen communication, health education and provide knowledge on prevention of Toxocariasis for children and parents.