Toxocariasis: America's most common neglected infection of poverty and a helminthiasis of global importance?

[...]some of the central nervous system features of toxocariasis have been implicated as a cause of occult seizures, mental retardation, and developmental delays [3],[4],[15]. Because pica is a risk factor for both toxocariasis and lead ingestion [16], it is possible that an element of the cognitive and mental deficits ascribed to toxocariasis may partially result from plumbism. [...]the larvae may remain alive within the host for months, and host antibody levels may remain strongly positive for 2 or 3 years or more [17],[31]. [...]in the CDC EIA, the presence of antibody titers greater than 1:32 may be considered reflective of active infection, although we are not aware of careful studies that have determined the length of persistent toxocaral antibodies over long periods of time.