Towards establishing MS prevalence in Latin America and the Caribbean.

A very high prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) has been reported in some Western European and North American countries. The few surveys of MS epidemiology in South America reveal lower prevalence rates, implying that susceptibility varies between distinct ethnic groups, thus forming an important determinant of the geographic distribution of the disease. The objective of this study is to review MS prevalence estimates in different Latin American and Caribbean countries. We reviewed surveys of regional MS prevalence from 1991 to 2011. Sources included an online database, authors' reports and proceedings or specific lectures from regional conferences. We obtained a total of 30 prevalence surveys from 15 countries, showing low/medium MS prevalence rates. Both the number and the quality of prevalence surveys have greatly improved in this region over recent decades. This is the first collaborative study to map the regional frequency of MS. Establishment of standardized methods and joint epidemiological studies will advance future MS research in Latin America and the Caribbean.

[The incidence of neurological disorders in tropical South America. Experience in the Bolivian lowlands]. / Vorkommen neurologischer Erkrankungen im tropischen Südamerika. Erfahrungen aus dem Tiefland Boliviens.

BACKGROUND: The Chiquitano tribe lives in the southern Amazonas region in Bolivia, remote from larger towns. Data on the epidemiology of neurological disorders are completely lacking. METHODS: A combined prospective-retrospective study was designed to determine the prevalence and annual incidence of major neurological diseases. In an one-year prospective study 1514 individuals (total population 5652) who consulted the general practitioner were interviewed and examined for neurological disturbances. These histories were analysed retrospectively by a neurologist and classified according the diagnosis key of the DGN. RESULTS: During a one-year period (April 1995-March 1996), 139 patients suffering from neurological diseases were seen (one-year incidence and prevalence 2.45%). Cervical and lumbosacral pain syndromes were the most common neurological problems; these were caused by sleeping in hammocks, and by hard agricultural labour. Tropical myositis (12.9%) was very frequent and the most frequent muscle disease. Epilepsy was found in 11 patients and extrapyramidal syndromes in 2 patients. Regarding epilepsy, a high dark rate is assumed because of social and cultural traditions. Strokes are rare, since many risk factors are not present. All cases of meningitis were lethal and clearly demonstrated infrastructural problems. Patients with social diseases (AIDS, drug- and alcohol addiction, injuries caused by violence) were rarely seen. CONCLUSION: In a shrinking world, and with the development of "Tropical Neurology" as a specialised discipline neuroepidemiological data are increasingly important for two reasons. First of all, they sensitise neurologists to this topic, and secondly, they can be used to estimate the need for neurologists serving the Third World's minority populations.

Prevalencia de la teniasis y la cisticercosis en Bolivia: datos y consideraciones preliminares / Prevalence of teniasis and cysticiscosis in Bolivia: Data and preliminary consideratins

Se pasa revista a trabajos y publicaicones efectuadas en Bolivia acerca de la teniasis y cisticercosis producida por Taenia solium enel país. Se encuentran cifras que varían entre el 0 porciento de teniasis (como Taenia sp) para algunas zonas rurales de Santa Cruz, el 6.20 porciento en la ciudad de La Paz y el 8,70 porciento en la localidad minera de Chorolque. En la ciudad de La Paz se encuentra un prevalencia de cisticercosis porcina que fluctúa entre el 3.71 porciento y el 9,20 porciento en los diferentes mataderon que surten a la ciudad. La cisticercosis humana fue detectada en la mayor parte de las zonas geográficas del país y en todas sus capas sociales. En el Hospital Universitario de La Paz se encontró una fecuencia del 1.33 porciento de cisticercosis cerebral en 1202 autopsias practicadas entre los años de 1954 a 1972. el 25 porciento de los casos de epilepsia encontrados en un estudio neuroepidemiológico realizado en Viacha siguiendo el protocolo de la OMS en 1985, mostro calcificaciones intracraneales sospechosas de constituir cisticercosis lo cual indicaría que por lo menos el 6.5 por mil de la pobalción sifriría de cisticercosis de acuerdo ala cifra global de epilepsias encontradas en ese estudio (26 por mil).