Hyperendemic Human and Porcine Taenia Solium Infection in Perú

Abstract

Abstract. The prevalence and characteristics of human taeniasis/cysticercosis and porcine cysticercosis were assessed in an endemic area of the Peruvian highlands. Individuals from 10 communities had stool examinations (N ‫ס‬ 2,951) and serologic testing for Taenia solium antibodies (N ‫ס‬ 2,583). The total porcine population present (N ‫ס‬ 703) was also examined by serology. Cysticercosis is hyperendemic in this area and is associated with an important number of seizure cases. Human seroprevalence by village ranged from 7.1-26.9% (mean, 13.9%). Seroprevalence was higher among individuals with a history of seizures but not in those reporting a history of headache or intestinal taeniasis. Prevalence of taeniasis ranged from 0-6.7% (median, 2.5%). Coproantigen detection found 2.4 times more taeniasis cases than did microscopy (direct and after concentration). Age distribution for taeniasis showed a peak at younger ages than for seroprevalence. Porcine seroprevalence ranged from 42-75%. Random effects logistic regression models for human seropositivity demonstrated both in-house clustering of cases and a large increase in risk associated with a tapeworm carrier in the house. Besides confirming the close relationship between taeniasis and cysticercosis cases, this large-scale field study demonstrated early age of tapeworm and cysticercosis infections in humans, and short duration of taeniasis infections.

Combined use of an antigen and antibody detection enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay for cysticercosis as tools in an epidemiological study of epilepsy in Burundi

“…Contradictory results have been reported about the impact of sex on infection with cysticercosis. The other risk factors for cysticercosis, however, are well known and were reported previously (Garcia et al 2003;Nguekam et al 2003c). This study has focused on NCC as a cause of epilepsy.…”

“…Neurocysticercosis is a pleomorphic disease, ranging from asymptomatic infections to severe neurological syndromes and presumably is the major cause of acquired epilepsy with intracranial hypertension or dementia, and a variety of non-specific mild symptoms in-between (Carpio & Hauser 2002;Garcia et al 2003). Also, the evolution of the disease is highly variable: in some patients, the parasite dies without any complications, in others its death induces an intense inflammatory reaction that is typically associated with onset of symptoms and potentially dangerous complications (Sotelo & Flisser 1997;Pal et al 2000;Sciutto et al 2000).…”

The Parasitological, Immunological, and Molecular Diagnosis of Human Taeniasis with Special Emphasis on Taenia solium Taeniasis

“…The diagnostic sensitivity of these techniques, however, is not optimal, with reports ranging from 38 to 69% [27, 42] taeniasis. Such low sensitivity is primarily due to the intermittent nature of egg release, which leads to an underestimation of the prevalence of taeniasis [43]. Allan et al [44] reported that coproscopic studies from patients with active tapeworm infection are commonly negative because, firstly, eggs may not appear in feces every day, and secondly, eggs are not uniformly distributed in feces.…”

A Review of Human Cysticercosis and Diagnostic Challenges in Endemic Resource Poor Countries

“…The fact that serological and immunoblots are used for screening, and taking into account their considerable variable sensitivity and specificity [36], the true prevalence estimates of the disease will remain speculative. Yet, cysticerci infection can go unnoticed for over four years until the cysticerci degenerate, die and calcify when the immune system is elicited [54]. Infection by T. solium metacestodes in humans (with or without signs), commonly referred to as HCC, may occur as early asduring childhood [8] [55].…”