Is It Possible That I Caught Toxocariasis ?!


Question: Is It Possible That I Caught Toxocariasis .?
I have a 3 month old puppy which lives outside in my yard. I haven't got him a bath since its cold outside. I have just played with it like scratching its belly and similar. I ran with it a little so I got tired and when I got upstairs I was thirsty. I washed my hands with liquid soap in my bathroom, but there was no cup around so I drank water with my hand. After my hands dried out, I noticed that it still had the smell of my dog.

Is it possible that I get Toxocariasis from this.?.? I'm so scared, could someone please explain what are the chances that I have ingested some Toxocara canis eggs by drinking from my hand.? And what should I do now to prevent it.? When should I expect any symptoms to show up.?.?Health Question & Answer


Answers:
no its not likely that you got toxocariasis, research it on the internet. Besides, what made you think that you have toxocariasis.? There must be a symptom that you have experanced.Health Question & Answer

Toxocariasis (Toxocarosis) is a helminth infection of humans caused by the dog or cat roundworm, Toxocara canis or Toxocara cati, respectively. Humans can become infected by ingestion of embryonated eggs (containing fully developed larva L3) from contaminated sources. There are two main syndromes; visceral larva migrans (VLM), which encompasses diseases associated with major organs, and ocular larva migrans (OLM), in which toxocariasis pathological effects on the host are restricted to the eye and the optic nerve.Adult worms of the Toxocara family often live in the small intestine of dogs and cats. They range from 4-12 cm in length. Almost all puppies are infected at or soon after birth. During the summer, Toxocara infective eggs are shed. They survive for years in the environment, and humans typically ingest the eggs orally by eating with contaminated hands (Most commonly from handling infected feces with bare hands). Once introduced into the human intestine, the eggs develop into larvae. The larval form is less than 0.5 mm in length and 0.02 mm wide. The larvae penetrate the bowel wall and migrate through blood vessels to reach the liver, muscles, and lungs. Sometimes the parasite penetrates into the eye and brain.

Disease severity is affected by the number of eggs ingested, duration of infection, tissue location of larvae, and the immune response to the infection.

Diagnosis
In suspected cases, diagnosis is confirmed by an increase in the anti-Toxocara excretory-secretory antigen IgE level History of exposure to dogs and cats High Sustained eosinophilia + hyperglobulinemia + hepatomegaly liver biopsy shows degenerated larvae at the centre of an eosinophilic granuloma

Treatment
Anthelmintic treatment, e.g. mebendazole, thiabendazole and diethylcarbamazine. Albendazole is the more modern form of treatment. Management with anti-inflammatory steroids is also an option.

Prognosis
Toxocariasis is always a benign, asymptomatic, and self-limiting disease, although brain involvement can cause brain damage, meningitis, encephalitis, or epilepsy. Ocular involvement, also known as 'ocular larvae migrans,' may cause loss of visual acuity or unilateral blindness. Pulmonary and hepatic forms can cause protracted symptoms if the patient does not receive treatment.

Prevention
The eggs of Toxocara species are widespread in parks, playgrounds, yards, and in homes and apartments where the occupants have dogs or cats. Elimination of eggs from the environment is not possible; therefore, prevention depends on proper hygiene, including handwashing after contact with pets. Public policies that have attempted to eradicate Toxocara infection in dogs and cats have had limited success.


FOR MORE INFORMATION, CHECK THIS WEBSITE OUT.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxocariasi...Health Question & Answer



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