Multi-professional experience in the investigation of infection by Toxocara spp in children served at the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS)

Toxocariasis is a disease that mainly affects children and is generally caused by the accidental ingestion of Toxocara canis and/or Toxocara cati embryonated eggs. These embryonated eggs remain viable for long periods in the environment. This study aimed at detecting outbreaks of Toxocara spp by analyzing places inhabited by children who had been diagnosed with the disease in 2012 and 2013, in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. The patients’ guardians were interviewed, and soil samples were collected from their households to survey the presence of Toxocara spp. eggs through the method of Faust. The patients’ pediatricians, who notified and treated the suspected cases with a diagnosis of (LMV), were also interviewed. All interviewed families had similar socio-economic characteristics, lived in multi-family lots, and had contact with puppies and adult dogs. The presence of exposed canine feces, which were not collected daily, was observed in places of risk; the diagnosed children had daily contact with these areas and were not oriented with regard to hand hygiene; in addition, raw Multi-professional experience in the investigation of infection by Toxocara spp in children served at the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) Tâmara Dauare de Almeida1, Lorena Nunes Costa2, Paula Cristina Vasconcelos1, Luciana de Assis Caetano3, Karine Oliveira4, Fábio Correa Lima4, Adamastor Santos Bussolotti5, Aline Bezerra Virginio Nunes5, Arildo Pinto Cunha6, Cláudia Regina Lindgren Alves7, Elaine Alvarenga de Almeida Carvalho8, André Almeida Fernandes9, Lucas Maciel Cunha10, Danielle Ferreira de Magalhães Soares11 Experiência multiprofissional na investigação de infecção por Toxocara spp em crianças atendidas pelo Sistema Único de Saúde DOI: 10.5935/2238-3182.2014S005