Seroepidemiology of Toxocara Infection in Patients With Vision Impairment and Blindness in Durango, Mexico

BACKGROUND Toxocara infection is a cause of vision impairment and blindness. We aimed to determine the seroprevalence and correlates of Toxocara infection in patients suffering from vision impairment and blindness in Durango City, Mexico. METHODS Through a cross-sectional seroprevalence study, 204 patients with vision impairment and 19 blind patients were studied for the presence of anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies in Durango City, Mexico. Seroprevalence association with socio-demographic, housing, clinical, and behavioral characteristics of participants was also investigated. RESULTS Five (2.5%) of the 204 patients with vision impairment, and none of the 19 patients with blindness were positive for anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies. In total, five of the 223 (2.2%) patients were positive for anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies. Seropositivity to Toxocara was not associated with age, sex, educational level, socio-economic status, presence of underlying diseases or behavioral characteristics of the patients. In contrast, multivariate analysis showed that Toxocara seropositivity was associated with living in a house with soil floor (odds ratio (OR) = 11.14; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.57 - 78.74; P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS This is the first report of Toxocara exposure in patients with vision impairment and blindness in Mexico, and of an association of Toxocara exposure with living in a house with soil floors. Results suggest a low Toxocara exposure in these patients in Durango, Mexico. The risk factor associated with Toxocara exposure identified in this study warrants for further investigation.