The monetary burden of cysticercosis in Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Taenia solium cysticercosis is a public health and agricultural problem in many low and middle-income countries where health education, sanitation, pig management practices and meat inspection infrastructure are insufficient. Cysticercosis affects both human and animal health and has important economic consequences. Very few studies have been conducted to evaluate the monetary burden of cysticercosis. This study aimed at estimating the 2015 costs associated with cysticercosis in humans and pigs in Mexico. METHODS: The monetary burden of human cysticercosis was estimated based on costs incurred by living with and treating epilepsy and severe chronic headaches associated with neurocysticercosis (NCC). The estimated cost of porcine cysticercosis took into consideration losses due to the reduction in the price of cysticercosis-infected animals. Epidemiologic and economic data were obtained from the published literature, government reports, and setting-specific questionnaires. Latin hypercube sampling methods were employed to sample the distributions of uncertain parameters and to estimate 95% credible regions (95% CRs). All results are reported in 2015 U.S.$. FINDINGS: The overall monetary burden associated with NCC morbidity was estimated at U.S.$215,775,056 (95% CR U.S.$109,309,560 -U.S.$361,924,224), with U.S.$436 (95% CR: U.S.$296 -U.S.$604) lost per patient. If loss of future years of income and productivity due to NCC-associated deaths was included, this value increased by U.S.$54.26 million, assuming that these individuals earned Mexico's median wage salary. An additional U.S.$19,507,171 (95% CR U.S.$5,734,782 -U.S.$35,913,487) was estimated to be lost due to porcine cysticercosis. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that T. solium cysticercosis results in considerable monetary losses to Mexico.

Pre-hospitalization, hospitalization, and post-hospitalization costs of patients with neurocysticercosis treated at the Instituto Nacional de Neurologia y Neurocirugia (INNN) in Mexico City, Mexico.

The objective of this study was to estimate the direct costs associated with the diagnosis and treatment of neurocysticercosis (NCC) during pre-hospitalization, hospitalization, and post-hospitalization periods for 108 NCC patients treated at the Instituto Nacional de Neurologia y Neurocirugia (INNN) in Mexico City, Mexico. Information on clinical manifestations, diagnostic tests, hospitalizations, surgical procedures, prescription medication, and other treatments was collected via medical chart reviews. Uncertain values for costs and frequency of treatments were imputed using bootstrap techniques. The average per-patient pre-hospitalization and hospitalization costs were US$ 257 (95% CI: 185 - 329) and US$ 2,576 (95% CI: 2,244 - 2,908), respectively. Post-hospitalization costs tended to decrease over time, with estimates for the first five years post-hospitalization of US$ 475 (95% CI: 423 - 527), US$ 228 (95% CI: 167 - 288), US$ 157 (95% CI: 111 - 202), US$ 150 (95% CI: 106 - 204), and US$ 91 (95% CI: 27 - 154), respectively. NCC results in a significant economic burden for patients requiring hospitalization, with this burden continuing years post-hospitalization.

Cerebrolysin in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to provide a systematic and quantitative summary of benefit and risk of Cerebrolysin in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to avoid major deficiencies of an earlier meta-analysis. DESIGN: This is a meta-analysis of randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials. DATA SOURCES: Trials were identified with the help of PubMed, the Cochrane Dementia Group database, the Center for Collaborative Neurosciences, and references from reviews; no language restrictions were applied. STUDY SELECTION: All randomized double-blind placebo-controlled studies on 30 ml/day of Cerebrolysin in mild-to-moderate AD were included. RESULTS: There were 6 eligible randomized controlled trials comparing Cerebrolysin with placebo. For all studies, either individual patient data and/or published data (aggregate data) were available. Analyses were based on the odds ratio (OR) for dichotomized global clinical change and for safety criteria, on the standardized mean difference (SMD) for pooling of cognitive function, and on the Mann-Whitney statistic (MW) for multivariate analysis of 'global benefit' (combined effect of global clinical change and cognitive function). Cerebrolysin was significantly more effective than placebo at 4 weeks regarding cognitive function (4 weeks: SMD -0.40 points; 95% CI -0.66 to -0.13; p = 0.0031; 6 months: SMD -0.37 points; 95% CI -0.90 to 0.16; p = 0.1710), at 4 weeks and 6 months regarding global clinical change (4 weeks: OR 3.32; 95% CI 1.20-9.21; p = 0.0212; 6 months: OR 4.98; 95% CI 1.37-18.13; p = 0.0150), and at 4 weeks and 6 months regarding 'global benefit' (combined efficacy criteria; 4 weeks: MW 0.57, 95% CI 0.53-0.61; p = 0.0006; 6 months: MW 0.57; 95% CI 0.53-0.61; p = 0.0010). The safety aspects of Cerebrolysin were comparable to placebo. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis provides evidence that Cerebrolysin has an overall beneficial effect and a favorable benefit-risk ratio in patients with mild-to-moderate AD. Cerebrolysin as a therapeutic agent should be considered by clinicians seeking treatment options for mild-to-moderate AD.

Cost of neurocysticercosis patients treated in two referral hospitals in Mexico City, Mexico.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate annual costs related to the diagnosis, treatment and productivity losses among patients with neurocysticercosis (NCC) receiving treatment at two referral hospitals, the Instituto Nacional de Neurologia y Neurocirugia (INNN) and the Hospital de Especialidades of the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (HE-IMSS), in Mexico City from July 2007 to August 2008. METHODS: Information on presenting clinical manifestations, diagnostic tests, hospitalisations, surgical procedures and other treatments received by NCC outpatients was collected from medical charts, and supplemented by an individual questionnaire regarding productivity losses and out-of-pocket expenses related to NCC. RESULTS: The annual average per-patient direct costs were US$ 503 (95% CI: 414-592) and US$ 438 (95% CI: 322-571) for patients without a history of hospitalisation and/or surgery seen at the INNN and the HE-IMSS, respectively. These costs increased to US$ 2506 (95% CI: 1797-3215) and US$ 2170 (95% CI: 1303-3037), respectively, for patients with a history of hospitalisation and/or surgery. The average annual per-patient indirect costs were US$ 246 (95% CI: 165-324) and US$ 114 (95% CI: 51-178), respectively, using minimum salary wages for individuals not officially employed. CONCLUSIONS: The total annual cost for patients who had and had not been hospitalised and/or undergone a surgical procedure for the diagnosis or treatment of NCC corresponded to 212% and 41% of an annual minimum wage salary, respectively. The disease tends to affect rural socioeconomically disadvantaged populations and creates health disparities and significant economic losses in Mexico.

Genetic variation in the Cytb gene of human cerebral Taenia solium cysticerci recovered from clinically and radiologically heterogeneous patients with neurocysticercosis.

Neurocysticercosis (NC) is a clinically and radiologically heterogeneous parasitic disease caused by the establishment of larval Taenia solium in the human central nervous system. Host and/or parasite variations may be related to this observed heterogeneity. Genetic differences between pig and human-derived T. solium cysticerci have been reported previously. In this study, 28 cysticerci were surgically removed from 12 human NC patients, the mitochondrial gene that encodes cytochrome b was amplified from the cysticerci and genetic variations that may be related to NC heterogeneity were characterised. Nine different haplotypes (Ht), which were clustered in four haplogroups (Hg), were identified. Hg 3 and 4 exhibited a tendency to associate with age and gender, respectively. However, no significant associations were found between NC heterogeneity and the different T. solium cysticerci Ht or Hg. Parasite variants obtained from patients with similar NC clinical or radiological features were genetically closer than those found in groups of patients with a different NC profile when using the Mantel test. Overall, this study establishes the presence of genetic differences in the Cytb gene of T. solium isolated from human cysticerci and suggests that parasite variation could contribute to NC heterogeneity.

Genetic variation in the Cytb gene of human cerebral Taenia solium cysticerci recovered from clinically and radiologically heterogeneous patients with neurocysticercosis

Neurocysticercosis (NC) is a clinically and radiologically heterogeneous parasitic disease caused by the establishment of larval Taenia solium in the human central nervous system. Host and/or parasite variations may be related to this observed heterogeneity. Genetic differences between pig and human-derived T. solium cysticerci have been reported previously. In this study, 28 cysticerci were surgically removed from 12 human NC patients, the mitochondrial gene that encodes cytochrome b was amplified from the cysticerci and genetic variations that may be related to NC heterogeneity were characterised. Nine different haplotypes (Ht), which were clustered in four haplogroups (Hg), were identified. Hg 3 and 4 exhibited a tendency to associate with age and gender, respectively. However, no significant associations were found between NC heterogeneity and the different T. solium cysticerci Ht or Hg. Parasite variants obtained from patients with similar NC clinical or radiological features were genetically closer than those found in groups of patients with a different NC profile when using the Mantel test. Overall, this study establishes the presence of genetic differences in the Cytb gene of T. solium isolated from human cysticerci and suggests that parasite variation could contribute to NC heterogeneity. .

Estimating the non-monetary burden of neurocysticercosis in Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a major public health problem in many developing countries where health education, sanitation, and meat inspection infrastructure are insufficient. The condition occurs when humans ingest eggs of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium, which then develop into larvae in the central nervous system. Although NCC is endemic in many areas of the world and is associated with considerable socio-economic losses, the burden of NCC remains largely unknown. This study provides the first estimate of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) associated with NCC in Mexico. METHODS: DALYs lost for symptomatic cases of NCC in Mexico were estimated by incorporating morbidity and mortality due to NCC-associated epilepsy, and morbidity due to NCC-associated severe chronic headaches. Latin hypercube sampling methods were employed to sample the distributions of uncertain parameters and to estimate 95% credible regions (95% CRs). FINDINGS: In Mexico, 144,433 and 98,520 individuals are estimated to suffer from NCC-associated epilepsy and NCC-associated severe chronic headaches, respectively. A total of 25,341 (95% CR: 12,569-46,640) DALYs were estimated to be lost due to these clinical manifestations, with 0.25 (95% CR: 0.12-0.46) DALY lost per 1,000 person-years of which 90% was due to NCC-associated epilepsy. CONCLUSION: This is the first estimate of DALYs associated with NCC in Mexico. However, this value is likely to be underestimated since only the clinical manifestations of epilepsy and severe chronic headaches were included. In addition, due to limited country specific data, some parameters used in the analysis were based on systematic reviews of the literature or primary research from other geographic locations. Even with these limitations, our estimates suggest that healthy years of life are being lost due to NCC in Mexico.

Human neurocysticercosis: in vivo expansion of peripheral regulatory T cells and their recruitment in the central nervous system.

Human neurocysticercosis (NC) is caused by Taenia solium larvae lodged in the central nervous system. Most cases occur with no, or mild, neurological symptoms. However, in some patients, neuroinflammation is exacerbated, leading to severe forms of the disease. Considering the critical role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in balancing inflammation in chronic diseases, their participation in restraining the inflammatory response in NC was explored in the present study. The frequency of Tregs and their relationship with the level of the proliferative response, the level of activated lymphocytes, and the cytokines expressed were determined in severe NC patients compared with those from healthy donors. Significantly increased peripheral Tregs (CD4(+)CD25(high) and CD4(+)CD25(high)FoxP3(+), CD4(+)CD25(high)CTLA4(+), and CD4(+)CD25(high) IL10(+)) and a significant decrease in activated (CD38(+) and CD69(+)) T cells were observed in 19 NC patients versus 10 healthy subjects. Significantly increased Tregs in NC are accompanied by a depressed specific, and non-specific, lymphocyte proliferative response, and they negatively correlate with activated CD4(+)CD69(+) lymphocytes. Treg frequencies were also determined in cerebral spinal fluid for 8 of the 19 NC patients. A positive significant correlation between peripheral and local Tregs was observed. Here, we report for the first time data that support the possible contribution of local and systemic Tregs in limiting neuroinflammation in NC.

Quality of life in patients with neurocysticercosis in Mexico.

The objective of this study was to compare quality of life measures in patients with neurocysticercosis (NCC) to those of a matched control group. The NCC outpatients and their controls were recruited from two neurology referral hospitals in Mexico City, Mexico during 2007-2008. The quality of life of 224 NCC patients was compared with 224 age-sex-hospital-day matched controls using the short form 12 v2 (SF-12 v2) quality of life survey. Medical chart reviews were also conducted for the NCC outpatients to evaluate presenting clinical manifestations. Compared with the controls, NCC patients had a significantly lower score for each of the eight domains of health evaluated and significantly lower Physical and Mental Component Summary scores. Chart reviews indicated that hydrocephalus (48%), severe headaches (47%), and epilepsy (31%) were the most common clinical manifestations in these NCC outpatients.

Intraventricular and subarachnoid basal cisterns neurocysticercosis: a comparative study between traditional treatment versus neuroendoscopic surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of traditional treatment and minimal invasive flexible endoscopy surgery (MIFNES) in the treatment of intraventricular and subarachnoid basal cisterns neurocysticercosis (NCC). METHODS: This was an observational comparative study of two independent series with a total of 140 patients with extremely severe forms of NCC from two different institutions. All 83 patients submitted for traditional treatment series received albendazole, and some of them received additionally praziquantel. Each cycle of both regimens lasted 4 weeks. The majority of these patients had at least one ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt. The rest 57 patients were submitted to the MIFNES treatment. The follow-up period was at least 6 months. RESULTS: In all patients of both series cysticercal cysts disappeared, became calcified, or were removed. Symptoms of 136 patients improved. Four patients died. The average in the quality of life measured using the Karnofsky scale improved from a mean of 52.22 and 52.44 at the beginning to 85.48 and 90.37 at 6 months (p < 0.003), in the traditional treatment and MIFNES series, respectively. From traditional treatment, almost all patients remained with at least one VP shunt, and from the MIFNES series only 12 patients. CONCLUSIONS: The authors postulate that MIFNES is a good alternative for the management of intraventricular and subarachnoid basal cisterns NCC because it allows removal of most of the parasites, rapid recovery of the patients, and removal and placement of shunt under direct vision when necessary. Traditional treatment is a second option where the MIFNES procedure is not available.

Teniasis y Cisticercosis en el Ecuador / Teniasis and Cisticercosis in Ecuador

Analiza la evolución de la teniasis y la cisticercosis humana en el Ecuador desde el punto de vista epidemiológico. Expone los factores de riesgo y circunstancias sanitarias del país que favorecen la infección. Finalmente, presenta información sobre los planes, programas y campañas nacionales para la prevención y control de estas enfermedades...