Cysticercosis-Related Hospitalizations in the United States, 1998–2011

Abstract

Abstract. Cysticercosis has become increasingly recognized as an important infection in the United States in recent decades. Despite its potential impact, there is a lack of comprehensive information on the nationwide burden of disease. To better define the burden of cysticercosis in the United States, we analyzed in-patient records using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample for 1998-2011 to estimate cysticercosis-related hospitalizations and patient/institutional characteristics. There were an estimated 33,060 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 29,610.5-36,510.3) cysticercosis-related hospitalizations nationwide, representing a hospitalization rate of 8.03 per million population. The highest proportion of cases were male (54.8%), Hispanic (62.0%), aged 18-44 (58.8%), and occurred in the West (45.1%). An estimated 459 deaths occurred, representing an in-hospital case-fatality rate of 1.4%. These findings indicate the burden of cysticercosisrelated hospitalizations in the United States is considerable and may be greater than currently appreciated. Cysticercosis should be a nationally reportable disease.

Factors Associated with the 18-Month Cumulative Incidence of Seroconversion of Active Infection with Taenia solium Cysticercosis: A Cohort Study among Residents of 60 Villages in Burkina Faso

“…The zoonotic disease complex Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis (CC) causes important monetary and nonmonetary burden in endemic areas 1 – 5 as well as in countries where the life cycle is unlikely to be completed, such as the United States. 6 In its most severe form, T. solium cysticerci establish in the brain, causing a condition called neurocysticercosis (NCC), characterized by a range of neurological symptoms and signs, the most common being epilepsy, severe chronic headaches, and focal deficits. 7 Overall, T. solium has been estimated to incur the largest number disability-adjusted life years among foodborne parasitic infections globally.…”

Successful Antiparasitic Treatment for Cysticercosis is Associated with a Fast and Marked Reduction of Circulating Antigen Levels in a Naturally Infected Pig Model

“…NCC is the most important cause of late onset epilepsy worldwide and a growing problem in developed countries because of immigration from endemic zones. 1,2 Humans get infected by accidental ingestion of T. solium eggs excreted with the feces of human tapeworm carriers. The oncospheres are liberated from the eggs, cross the intestinal wall, and are carried by the circulatory system to almost any organ or tissue, where they develop as the larval stage or cysticercus.…”

Cervical Lymphatic Filariasis in a Pediatric Patient: Case Report and Database Analysis of Lymphatic Filariasis in the United States

“…9 As previous studies have shown, the use of the NIS can be useful when quantifying domestic burdens of tropical parasitic diseases in a large sample size. 37 Our results demonstrate 58 patients a year are admitted with a diagnosis of lymphatic filariasis in the United States and that the incidence is slowly rising (Figure 4). More cases were seen in the East North Central states than expected (P = 0.032).…”