Taeniasis and cysticercosis prevalence in a small village from Northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Although not considered as an endemic region, the Northeast of Brazil has the necessary conditions for the development of taeniasis-cysticercosis complex. In a previous paper, we demonstrated that Mulungu do Morro municipality, in the State of Bahia, has a high seroprevalence to cysticercosis in epileptic patients. OBJECTIVE: to determine the prevalence of taeniasis and positive cysticercosis serology in the population of Mulungu do Morro. METHOD: blood and stool samples were collected from a random sampling of the population, by family. The identification of antibodies against T. solium cysticerci was made by EITB and T. solium antigens were identified using a polyclonal antibody-capture ELISA. RESULTS: the cysticercosis seroprevalence was 1.6% (C.I. = 0.8 to 2.8%) and the taeniasis prevalence 4.5% (C.I. = 3.0 to 6.5%). Seropositivity to cysticercosis was higher among those who lived in a house of a person testing positive for coproantigen, p=0.017. CONCLUSION: our results demonstrate that the taeniasis-cysticercosis complex is endemic in Mulungu do Morro. We believe that all areas in the world with the same socio-economic and sanitary characteristics are likely to have high prevalence of this parasite.

The prevalence and spatial epidemiology of cysticercosis in slaughtered cattle from Brazil

“…Other studies have highlighted the importance of identifying the origin of infected herds and tracing of these animals, since it might lead to the identification of high risk areas where the occurrence of taeniasis and cysticercosis would certainly be interrelated (SANTOS, 1993;PARKINSON, 1972;FUKUDA et al, 2003). Although this correlation was not the aim of this study, recent epidemiological data have suggested that some indigenous Brazilian communities (ARAGÃO et al, 2010), and rural villages (GOMES et al, 2002;PRESTES-CARNEIRO et al, 2006). In Brazil beef cattle rearing is primarily done by using the extensive production system where animals have free access to low-land pastures, which might be in direct contact with contaminated streams and rivers.…”

“…Additionally, a comparatively higher infection rate below latitude 10º 00' 00'' S, might be the manifestation of reduced population density in areas above this latitude due to the lower concentration of commercial cattle breeding and/or of the reduced human-animal contact. Paradoxically, the northeastern region of Brazil, which is located above this latitude, is endemic for various infectious diseases due to deficient socio-economic conditions which facilitate the transmission and maintenance of the taeniasis/cysticercosis complex (GOMES et al, 2002), but reports of bovine cysticercosis within this region were not found within normal literature databases and were not identified by the SIF. However, porcine cysticercosis due to Taenia solium has been identified in human populations from this region (GOMES et al, 2002;SATO et al, 2006).…”

“…Paradoxically, the northeastern region of Brazil, which is located above this latitude, is endemic for various infectious diseases due to deficient socio-economic conditions which facilitate the transmission and maintenance of the taeniasis/cysticercosis complex (GOMES et al, 2002), but reports of bovine cysticercosis within this region were not found within normal literature databases and were not identified by the SIF. However, porcine cysticercosis due to Taenia solium has been identified in human populations from this region (GOMES et al, 2002;SATO et al, 2006). Therefore the possibility of bovine cysticercosis occurring in this region cannot be totally ignored.…”

“…Therefore, the disease might be a constraint to the improvement of the life and livelihood of small-holding farming communities, which can be at risk of infection, as has been demonstrated in some remote villages of Brazil (GOMES et al, 2002;PRESTES-CARNEIRO et al, 2006). Efforts to comprehensively assess the global burden of cysticercosis are currently ongoing, where the health and agricultural impacts of the disease are given equal consideration (IBGE, 2007;PEREIRA;SCHWANZ;BARBOSA, 2006;DORNY et al, 2000;CARABIN et al, 2005).…”

Anatomopathological aspects of neurocysticercosis in autopsied patients

“…The male gender is the most common and the rural area precedence prevails. The predominant clinic manifestation is epilepsy followed by intracranial hypertension [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] . Cysticerci may be found in an active form causing arachnoiditis, hydrocephaly by meningeal inflammation, parenchymatous cysts and cerebral infarct; or in an inactive form that can be constituted by parenchymatous calcifications.…”