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Introduction and objective Toxocariasis is a zoonotic parasitic infection with important public health considerations. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of anti- Toxocara species antibodies and associated risk factors in domestic dogs and cats referred by their owners to veterinary clinics located in Karaj, Alborz Province, Iran. Material and methods A cross-sectional study involving 540 owners of dogs and cats was conducted between July – December 2020. A questionnaire administered by direct interviews was used to collect socio-demographic information and data on associated risk factors. Blood samples were collected and tested by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results The overall sero-prevalence of toxocariasis among the 540 participants was 16.7% (90 of 540). When participants included in the sample were classified by age, those aged 10–29 years demonstrated higher Toxocara infection prevalence than other groups (45.6%, 41 of 90). Univariate analysis revealed that the pet owners who had contact with soil [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 7.61, 95% CI: 6.06–9.24, P = 0.028], practiced handwashing after contact with dogs and cats (AOR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.15–4.85, P = 0.046), and feeding the pets with raw meat (AOR = 11.01, 95% CI: 5.21–19.43, P = 0.023) had an increased risk of acquiring toxocariasis. The study showed that demographic characteristics such as age, gender, place of residence, education, and pet’s habitats were not significantly associated with toxocariasis. Conclusions Given the findings and the progressive impact of toxocariasis in public health and its high prevalence in developing countries, including Iran, measures should be taken to inform the public about zoonoses and eliminate their putative transmission.

Introduction and objective Toxocariasis, predominantly caused by Toxocara canis , is a common zoonotic parasitosis worldwide. Toxocara infection is a cause of vision impairment and blindness. The presented study investigates the frequency of antibodies against Toxocara among uveitis patients and the epidemiological factors associated with disease. Material and methods Fifty-four patients with uveitis and 59 healthy subjects were studied. Anti- Toxocara antibodies status was determined in all serum samples using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and seropositive samples analyzed by Western blot (WB) technique. Results The frequency of Toxocara canis infection was found to be significantly higher in uveitis patients, compared to healthy controls by the use of ELISA test, being 14.8% and 1.7%, respectively. From 8 seropositive samples, 5 (62.5%) patients exhibited Toxocara immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in response to Western blot, whereas in the control group, none were detected positive by Western blot. No significant difference was found between pet owners, nor between different places of residence. The seroprevalence to Toxocara among uveitis patients was significantly related to gender, age and medical diagnosis. The highest prevalence was found in patients with posterior uveitis (27.8%). Conclusions Anti- Toxocara antibody titers are associated with the risk of vision impairment -uveitis. The risk factor associated with Toxocara exposure identified in this study warrants further investigation.