Keys to Unlock the Enigma of Ocular Toxocariasis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Purpose: Ocular toxocariasis (OT) is a zoonotic infection caused by larval stages of Toxocara canis and T. cati. The current review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the global prevalence of OT. Methods: Five English (PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) databases were explored and 101 articles met the inclusion criteria. Results: The pooled prevalence (95 confidence interval) of OT was higher in immunological studies (9. 6-12) than in studies that applied ophthalmic examination (1. 1-2). The lower middle-income level countries had the highest prevalence (6. 2-12) as well as the African region (10. 7-13). The highest infection rate (4. 2-7) was detected in the 1-25 mean age group. Conclusion: Regular anthelminthic treatment of cats and dogs, and removal of animal feces from public places must be considered