Neurocysticercosis and epilepsy in Cameroon

Abstract

Abstract:The frequency of Taenia solium cysticercosis was studied in a series of 504 epileptic patients from 3 rural localities in the West and North-west provinces of Cameroon using ELISA both for circulating antigen (Ag-Elisa) and antibody detection (Ab-Elisa). T. solium antigens were detected in the sera of 1.2% of the epileptics whereas specific antibodies against the parasite were present in 44.6% of patients. Significantly more seropositives in Ab-Elisa were recorded in Batibo than in Bandjoun and Batibo whereas a borderline significant difference was recorded with increasing age. Furthermore, 50% of patients with late-onset epilepsy showed antibodies against cysticercosis. T. solium cysticercosis appears to be an important cause of epilepsy in Cameroon.

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

“…When these results are compared with those of Zoli et al (2003), where only 1.2% of the Cameroonian epileptic patients were positive in the Ag-ELISA whereas 44.6% had specific antibodies against T. solium, it is evident that epilepsy in Cameroon was even more than in Burundi associated with dying or dead cysts. The very small number of people with epilepsy harbouring living cysts in West Cameroon as compared to the study area in Burundi might also indicate that more active transmission of the parasite is going on in the latter region.…”

“…Significantly more (38.3%) people with epilepsy were positive in the Ag-ELISA than controls (20.0%). Only a few studies on NCC and epilepsy which used both the Ag-and Ab-ELISA have been published (Newell et al 1997b;Correa et al 1999;Zoli et al 2003). The advantage of including both tests is that information can be obtained about the nature of the lesions causing epilepsy (Dorny et al 2004a).…”

Neurocysticercosis in sub-Saharan Africa: a review of prevalence, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and management

“…11,20,40 Details on countries excluding South Africa are summarized 48 and epilepsy syndromes 49 has been used too loosely in the context of studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. Not only seizure semiology, the description of which due to sociocultural barriers may be incomplete, but important seizure-related issues such as aetiology and concomitant diseases may be relevant for the classification of epilepsy/epileptic seizures in these countries.…”

Epilepsy and Neurocysticercosis in Sub-Saharan Africa

“…), but also indicates that people who potentially could be cured from their epilepsy by antihelminthic medication are practically left untreated. Data on subSaharan prevalence rates of NCC in people with epileptic seizures/epilepsy are mainly based on serological results and only exist from a few countries with results of over 40% (Cameroon) depending on the serological tests used [68][69][70]. A recent meta-analysis that only included African studies showed a significant association between epilepsy and cysticercosis with an odds ratio of 3.4 [71].…”