Hepatic Toxocariasis in a Child: A Case Report from Shiraz, Southern Iran

Abstract

Toxocariasis is a worldwide human helminthiasis. This disease is mostly asymptomatic and caused by Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati, intestinal nematodes (roundworms) in dogs and cats. These can cause visceral larva migrans syndrome in humans who ingest eggs from contaminated soil or consume of meat of paratenic hosts. A 6-year-old child with fever, chills, pain in right upper quadrant, eosinophilia of 20% and elevated total serum immunoglobulin levels is presented. Ultrasonography demonstrated two hypoechoic heterogeneous hepatic lesions measuring 0.7 × 0.7 cm in size located in the right lobe of liver. An enlarged periportal lymph node was noted. The case was diagnosed as hepatic toxocariasis based on sonographic and biopsy findings. The final diagnosis was confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. It can be concluded that hepatic toxocariasis should be included in the differential diagnosis of multiple liver nodules, particularly in cases with eosinophilia.