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The roundworms Toxocara canis and Toxocara gati are common in dogs and cats; infected animals shed unembryonated eggs in their feces. After 2 to 4 weeks of incubation in warm soil, the eggs embryonate. Humans become infected if they ingest these eggs: Larvae emerge and can migrate throughout the body — including to the eyes, where inflammation and scarring lead to vision loss. Children, who are most likely to ingest contaminated soil and sand, are at particular risk for infection.
Reports of human ocular toxocariasis in the U.S. have been sporadic and have generally involved experience at a single institution. To gather more information about this condition, the CDC and the American Academy of Ophthalmology conducted a web-based survey of op…