The Serological Survey for Human Cysticercosis Prevalence in Mbulu District, Tanzania

Abstract

Human cysticercosis, a zoonotic disease due to Taeniasolium, is of the highly debilitating and stigmatizing neglected tropical diseases due to epilepsy, ophthalmia and dermatological disorders in endemic developing countries. Tanzania is among the sub-Saharan African countries with an average prevalence of porcine cysticercosis 17.2% [1], which increases the risk of human cysticercosis infection. Studies on people with epilepsy in northern zone of Tanzania show a 16.2% [2] to be suffering from neurocysticercosis. While this was the case, there were no single report on the prevalence of human cysticercosis neither to regular hospital visitors, admissions, and nor general public that result to insufficient deployment of intervention strategies. Study was performed to assess the prevalence of human cysticercosis in general public in Mbulu district. The cephalic venous blood was collected from assorted community members. Serum was extracted and then subjected to Cysticercus IgG Western Blot Assay for human cysticercosis sero-screening. It was found that about 16.3% of the community members had antibodies signifying infection by human cysticercosis. This is the first ever study to assess the prevalence of human cysticercosis in the country and it has revealed the problem to be very high. This study can be valuable for deployment of appropriate intervention measures on human cysticercosis in the study area and extend to the entire country.

Association between Taenia solium infection and HIV/AIDS in northern Tanzania: a matched cross sectional-study

“…These prevalence rates of Ab to CC were similar to a 2.2% prevalence rate reported among healthy individuals in Kenya [50]. However, our estimate is much lower than that found in a study conducted at the same time in communities of the Mbulu district where a prevalence proportion of 16.3% was reported when using a commercially available Western blot test (LDBIO Diagnostics) [51]. When using data from all participants initially recruited, the prevalence of TSOL was highest in the Mbulu district (5.2%), and this was true among HIV+ and HIV– participants, but was still lower than that found by Mwang’onde et al [51].…”

“…However, our estimate is much lower than that found in a study conducted at the same time in communities of the Mbulu district where a prevalence proportion of 16.3% was reported when using a commercially available Western blot test (LDBIO Diagnostics) [51]. When using data from all participants initially recruited, the prevalence of TSOL was highest in the Mbulu district (5.2%), and this was true among HIV+ and HIV– participants, but was still lower than that found by Mwang’onde et al [51]. Possible explanation for these differences are the use of a different diagnostic test for the detection of Ab, possible selection bias of participants as no details on sampling is provided by the authors of a previous study [51], and possible clustering of CC in certain villages within the Mbulu district which was already described by Ngowi at al.…”

“…First, the very small number of TSOL+ individuals in both the HIV+ and HIV– groups meant that we had very limited statistical power to identify any differences. Such result was surprising given that endemic levels of CC/NCC were recently reported in the same study area [9, 51]. …”

Seroprevalence of human cysticercosis and its associated risk factors among humans in areas of Kaduna metropolis, Nigeria

“…The prevalence of 14.3% (n = 300) obtained in this study is high compared to those reported elsewhere; 9.6%, 2.4%, and 1.3% reported in Jos [11], Togo, and Benin, respectively [15], but closer to the 16.3% (n = 544) reported in Mbulu community, Tanzania [16]. Other studies using similar antibody detecting techniques have reported prevalence of 7.4% in South Africa and 20.5% in Mozambique [6].…”

A Brazilian Case of Tongue Cysticercosis

“…When cysticercosis is diagnosed in oral tissues, serological and coprological tests and imaging exams are essential for the detection of systemic disease [15]. In the present case, the coprological examination, chest X-ray and cranial tomography were negative.…”