Abstract. Two different populations in Saylla, a Peruvian village near Cusco, known for chicharrones, a local pork dish, were surveyed by serology and stool examination to determine the prevalence and epidemiologic characteristics of Taenia solium infection. Group I (n ϭ 43), the chicharroneros, were members of families professionally devoted to the making and selling of chicharrones, and Group II (n ϭ 102) was a sample of the general population of the same village. Unlike people in Group I, general villagers only occasionally prepare or sell this food product, and then only to their neighbors or relatives. The prevalence of taeniasis was extremely high (8.6%) for the chicharroneros and 3% for the general villagers. Seroprevalence for cysticercosis by immunoblot was similarly high in both groups (23.3% and 23.8%, respectively). Being female, older than 30, and having daily contact with pork were factors strongly associated with a positive serologic result for cysticercosis in the chicharroneros, whereas males were more frequently seropositive in the general villagers group. Antibody reaction to more antigen bands in immunoblots and neurologic symptoms were more common among the chicharroneros. Also, in the general villagers group, seroprevalence increased with each exposure factor, ranging from 9.4% in individuals who did not raise pigs to 50% in the small subgroup that raised pigs, butchered their own animals, sold pork, and sold chicharrones, suggesting that these activities are related to increased risk for tapeworm or larval infection.Cysticercosis, an infection by the larval stage of Taenia solium, is endemic in many developing countries, 1,2 The life cycle of T. solium includes pigs as the normal intermediate hosts, harboring the larval vesicles or cysticerci, and humans as the definitive host, harboring the adult form or tapeworm (taeniasis). Humans can also serve as the intermediate host and develop the cystic form by accidental ingestion of Taenia eggs. 3 Human cysticercosis frequently affects the central nervous system and is a major cause of acquired epilepsy. [2][3][4] Porcine cysticercosis causes important economic losses because of condemnation of infested pork. 5 In rural communities of developing countries, poor sanitation and lack of veterinary control provides the conditions (presence of pigs and humans, and fecal contamination) to sustain the life cycle of T. solium. Domestic rearing of pigs is an essential part of the economy of subsistence farmers because pigs are easy to buy and sell, cheaper than other livestock, and if raised free-ranging, require little or no investment in feed. However, this kind of informal pig husbandry not only allows pigs to be exposed to fecal contamination but also permits their uncontrolled slaughtering, bypassing the official slaughter system and resulting in public sale of infested pork, albeit at much lower prices than noninfected pork. 5,6 In Latin American, where cysticercosis is endemic, many *Other members of the Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru are M.
