ABSTRACT
This chapter provides state-of-the-art overviews on foodborne diseases caused by Toxocara in relation to their etiology, biology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. As accidental host, humans are susceptible to Toxocara infection upon ingestion of raw vegetables or meat containing embryonated eggs or larvae, leading to visceral larva migrans (VLM) and other forms of toxocariasis. In turn, the genus Toxocara includes 28 recognized species, four (i.e., Toxocara canis [canids], Toxocara cati [felids], Toxocara vitulorum [ruminants], and Toxocara pteropodis [bats]) of which have been implicated in human disease (toxocariasis). Other Toxocara species mainly affect canids (Toxocara marginata), felids (Toxocara canarisi, Toxocara genettae, Toxocara lyncis, Toxocara malaysiensis, and Toxocara mystax), rodents (Toxocara apodemi and Toxocara mackerrasae), and carnivores (Toxocara alienata, Toxocara anakumae, Toxocara herpestum, Toxocara paradoxura, Toxocara sprenti, Toxocara suricattae, Toxocara tanuki, Toxocara vajrasthirae, and Toxocara vincenti).
