PREDICTIVE FACTORS FOR GNATHOSTOMA SEROPOSITIVITY IN PATIENTS VISITING THE GNATHOSTOMIASIS CLINIC AT THE HOSPITAL FOR TROPICAL DISEASES, THAILAND DURING 2000-2005

This was a retrospective study of patients having Gnathostoma antibody testing at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Bangkok during 2000-2005 to investi- gate predictive factors for Gnathostoma seropositivity in patients attending the Gna- thostomiasis Clinic. Out of 849 patients tested, 531 (62.5%) were Gnathostoma se- ropositive. The median absolute eosinophil counts were 464 (0-16,796) and 326.5 (0-10,971) cells/mm 3 in seropositive and seronegative patients, respectively (p 500 cells/mm 3 ), and the frequency of cutaneous swellings between seropositive and seronegative patients were all statistically significant. Patients with a history of eating raw meat and a history of cutaneous swelling were at 2.1 and 1.8 times more likely to be Gnathostoma seropositive, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed eosinophilia was not a predictive factor for Gnathostoma seropositivity.