[Prevalence of taeniasis and sero - prevalence of anti - cysticercus antibody among residents in Tibetan agricultural areas of Sichuan Province].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of taeniasis and cysticercosis among residents in Tibetan agricultural areas of Sichuan Province, so as to provide insights for the prevention and control of taeniasis and cysticercosis. METHODS: From 2016 to 2022, Kangding City, Daocheng County, Derong County, Ruoergai County and Muli Tibetan Autonomous County were sampled from Tibetan agricultural areas of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture and Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, and 1 to 6 townships were sampled from each county (district), followed by 4 to 7 villages sampled from each township. Primary school children were sampled using a cluster sampling method, and permanent residents at ages of over 16 years were randomly sampled from each village. Participants' demographics, history of tapeworm excretion during the past year and clinical symptoms and signs of cysticercosis were collected through questionnaire surveys, and participants' stool and venous blood samples were collected. Taenia eggs were detected in stool samples using the direct smear method, and deworming was performed among taeniasis patients with areca nut-squash seeds. The tapeworm species were identified using a multiplex PCR assay, and serum specific IgG antibody against cysticercus was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: A total of 5 249 respondents participated in the questionnaire survey, including 603 respondents (11.5%) with a self-reported history of proglottids secretion during the past year. A total of 3 976 residents were subjected to stool examinations, and the detection of Taenia eggs was 6.5%. Of 258 participants undergoing deworming, there were 403 cases (94.2%) with excretions of Taenia worms or proglottids. The mean prevalence of taeniasis was 10.9% (439/4 043), and there were gender-, age- and region-specific prevalence rates of taeniasis (χ2 = 36.73, 126.31 and 163.41, all P values < 0.05). Multiplex PCR assays detected 41 cases with T. solium infections (12.5%), 197 cases with T. saginata infections (59.9%) and 91 cases with T. asiatica infections (27.6%) among 329 patients undergoing deworming, and there were region-specific prevalence rates of T. solium, T. saginata and T. asiatica infections (χ2 = 45.39, P < 0.05). In addition, the sero-prevalence of anti-cysticercus IgG antibody was 7.0% (345/4 933), and there were age- and region-specific sero-prevalence rates of anti-cysticercus IgG antibody (χ2 = 13.49 and 51.76, both P values < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Multiple Taenia species are prevalent in Tibetan agricultural areas of Sichuan Province and the sero-prevalence of anti-cysticercus antibody is high among residents. Monitoring and control of taeniasis and cysticercosis should be strengthened.

Sympatric occurrence of Taenia saginata and Sarcocystis spp. in cattle from Narok County, Kenya: meat inspection findings with molecular validation.

The epidemiological picture of Taenia saginata infections in Kenya is fragmented with limited available data. Although Sarcocystis species are significant meat-borne parasites, few studies have explored their occurrence in Kenya. This study aimed to estimate the occurrence of bovine cysticercosis and screen for the presence of Sarcocystis spp. A meat inspection-based survey was conducted in ten abattoirs in Narok County, Kenya, and inspection for T. saginata cysticerci was limited to the Triceps brachii muscle. The apparent occurrence of the parasite was 5.4% (95% CI, 3.8, 7.6, n=573). Molecular confirmation of T. saginata was done via nested polymerase chain reaction targeting the mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA gene and restricted fragment length polymorphism. Sarcocystis species were identified using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction method targeting the 18S ribosomal RNA gene sequences and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene. Of the 31 cystic lesions tested, 26/31 (83.9%) were confirmed to be T. saginata.Sarcocystis cruzi and S. hominis were detected in 8/31 (25.8%) and 1/31 (3.2%) of the cystic lesions, respectively. Co-infections of S. cruzi and T. saginata were found in 6/31 lesions (19.4%). The confirmation of bovine cysticercosis and S. hominis is suggestive of the presence of risky culinary and sanitation practices that facilitate transmission. This is the first report and molecular confirmation of Sarcocystis spp. in cattle in the country. The presence of both zoonotic S. hominis and pathogenic S. cruzi highlights an underexplored concern of veterinary and human health significance, warranting further epidemiological investigation.

Epidemiology of swine cysticercosis in two rural communities of Zacapa, Guatemala.

Taeniasis/cysticercosis complex caused by Taenia solium, is a serious public health problem and causes major economic losses to swine producers in developing countries in Asia, Africa and the Americas. Despite scarce epidemiological data, Guatemala is considered endemic for T. solium. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Azacualpa and Malpais, two villages in the department of Zacapa, to assess the prevalence of swine cysticercosis and associated factors. Between March and October 2019, 149 pigs were examined by tongue palpation and serum samples were then collected to detect antibodies by ab-ELISA, and necropsy was performed on pigs that were positive by tongue palpation and/or ab-ELISA, to assess parasite load. Pig owners were asked to fill out a questionnaire on factors related to pig husbandry and occurrence of swine cysticercosis. Pearson's chi-square test and multivariate analysis were used to measure the association between serological results and other variables (p < 0.05 was considered significant). The seroprevalence of swine cysticercosis was 13.4% (13/97, 95% C.I. 6.6%-20.2%) and 25% (13/52, 95% C.I. 13.2%-36.8%) in Azacualpa and Malpais, respectively, yielding an overall seroprevalence of 17.4% (26/149, 95% C.I. 11.4%-23.5%). Parasite loads ranged from 1 to over 23,000 metacestodes per carcass. No bivariate association was found between exposure variables and seropositivity. A positive diagnosis by tongue palpation increased the odds of finding pigs seropositive for cysticercosis by a factor of 16.1 in the multivariate analysis. Despite the high prevalence and parasite load of T. solium, risk factors associated with cysticercosis were not significant in this study.

Nexus between prevalence of Taenia solium (Cysticercus cellulosae) in pigs and retrospective study of humans cysticercosis cases in Benin hospitals.

The cysticercosis is a major zoonotic disease in many developing countries. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis and to identify potential risk factors associated and their seroprevalence as well in Benin. The tongue palpation was performed on 4150 pigs from the pig farmers were randomly selected to diagnose cysticercosis and to assess the risk factors associated. In slaughterhouses, 792 pigs were inspected. Serum samples from 460 pigs were tested of the presence of Taenia solium cysticercosis using the HP10 antigen-ELISA (Ag-ELISA). A logistic regression model with a 95% confidence interval was used to analyse the main risk factors associated. The tongue palpation revealed a prevalence of 4.79% at the level of slaughterhouses versus 7.82% in the post-mortem inspection. The Ag-ELISA revealed that more than 40% of the pigs were positive. The risk factors identified were the origin area of pigs, the history of cysticercosis in the farms, the presence or absence of a latrine, the pig-farming systems, the age class of pigs and the source of watering. In addition, 34.48% individuals was tested for taenia versus 13.79% for cysticercosis in the hospitals surveyed. Our results showed the major revelation of porcine cysticercosis and its very high level of risk for a public health in all departments of Benin. Therefore, this study suggests the need to continue epidemiological and sociological surveys with a "One Health" approach in order to design and implement effective control measures in this country of high consumption of pigs.

Spatial transferability of an agent-based model to simulate Taenia solium control interventions.

BACKGROUND: Models can be used to study and predict the impact of interventions aimed at controlling the spread of infectious agents, such as Taenia solium, a zoonotic parasite whose larval stage causes epilepsy and economic loss in many rural areas of the developing nations. To enhance the credibility of model estimates, calibration against observed data is necessary. However, this process may lead to a paradoxical dependence of model parameters on location-specific data, thus limiting the model's geographic transferability. METHODS: In this study, we adopted a non-local model calibration approach to assess whether it can improve the spatial transferability of CystiAgent, our agent-based model of local-scale T. solium transmission. The calibration dataset for CystiAgent consisted of cross-sectional data on human taeniasis, pig cysticercosis and pig serology collected in eight villages in Northwest Peru. After calibration, the model was transferred to a second group of 21 destination villages in the same area without recalibrating its parameters. Model outputs were compared to pig serology data collected over a period of 2 years in the destination villages during a trial of T. solium control interventions, based on mass and spatially targeted human and pig treatments. RESULTS: Considering the uncertainties associated with empirical data, the model produced simulated pre-intervention pig seroprevalences that were successfully validated against data collected in 81% of destination villages. Furthermore, the model outputs were able to reproduce validated pig seroincidence values in 76% of destination villages when compared to the data obtained after the interventions. The results demonstrate that the CystiAgent model, when calibrated using a non-local approach, can be successfully transferred without requiring additional calibration. CONCLUSIONS: This feature allows the model to simulate both baseline pre-intervention transmission conditions and the outcomes of control interventions across villages that form geographically homogeneous regions, providing a basis for developing large-scale models representing T. solium transmission at a regional level.

Insights into the diagnosis, vaccines, and control of Taenia solium, a zoonotic, neglected parasite.

Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis (TSTC) is a foodborne, zoonotic neglected tropical disease affecting predominately low- and middle-income countries. Humans are definitive hosts for T. solium, whereas pigs act as intermediate hosts. Taeniasis, i.e. intestinal infection with adult T. solium in the human host, occurs through ingestion of undercooked pork infected with the larval stage (porcine cysticercosis, PCC). Human cysticercosis occurs after humans ingest T. solium eggs, acting as accidental intermediate hosts. Migration of cysticerci to the human brain results in neurocysticercosis (NCC), manifesting in a variety of clinical symptoms, most notably epilepsy. NCC is the leading cause of acquired epilepsy cases in endemic areas. PCC results in reduced pork value because of condemnation or the risk of condemnation of the meat. Available serological diagnostic tests for porcine and human cysticercosis are characterized by low sensitivity and are not cost-effective. An effective vaccine for T. solium cysticercosis in pigs has been developed, although it is not yet commercially available in all endemic countries, and still no vaccine is available for use in humans. This primer highlights the recent development in the field of diagnostic tests and vaccine production and explores possible strategies for future control and eradication of T. solium. In the absence of highly specific diagnostic tests and human vaccines, treatment of infected pigs and tapeworm carriers and prevention of disease transmission remain the principal means to interrupt the zoonotic cycle of T. solium in endemic countries.

Bovine cysticercosis epidemiology and the economic impact of the triceps brachii incision in a South African export abattoir.

Taenia saginata is a zoonotic tapeworm of humans with bovines as its intermediate host (bovine cysticercosis). Traditional meat inspection is the main measure to identify the larval stage in carcasses and prevent human infection, but has a notoriously low sensitivity, especially in low prevalence settings. The legislation in multiple African countries mandates an incision in both triceps brachii muscles to detect the parasite as part of the normal post-mortem inspection, but this has an economic cost and is not universally mandated in other countries. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of bovine cysticercosis at an export abattoir in South Africa and determine the validity and cost of the triceps incision. Risk factors were investigated, and the effect of additional heart incisions on the current inspection. Four incisions were made into the heart in addition to the normal post-mortem inspection in 3353 carcasses. The proportion of positive animals with and without the cardiac and triceps incisions were compared using McNemar's chi-square tests, while risk factors were assessed using binary logistic regression. The economic impact of the triceps incision was estimated using a stochastic economic cost model. Thirty-three positive carcasses were identified for an apparent prevalence of 0.98 % (95 %CI, 0.69-1.36 %), while the true prevalence was estimated at 6.6 % (95 %CI, 4.3-8.8 %). All cysts were confirmed as T. saginata on histopathology with 70 % (95 %CI, 53-83 %) located in the heart. The additional cardiac incisions resulted in the detection of significantly more cases compared to the normal inspection method prevalence of 0.72 % (95 %CI, 0.47-1.05 %; P < 0.001). The apparent prevalence of T. saginata when omitting the triceps incision was not significantly lower compared to the prevalence when included in the inspection (P = 0.480). External feedlots (OR= 4.17, 95 %CI: 2.04-8.54, P < 0.001) and older animals (OR=3.90, 95 %CI: 1.17-13.03, P = 0.027) were associated with a positive detection. The current median annual financial cost to the food business operator from the triceps incision was estimated at $30387 (95 %CI: $0-$130696), with the proportion of deboned meat exported identified as the most important factor affecting cost (Spearman's rho=0.853). The identification of risk factors could aid in the development of a more effective risk-based inspection system. The current inspection should be modified to increase exposure of the heart and remove the triceps incisions. The latter should especially be considered given the minimal contribution to cysticercosis detection, the unsupported requirement for its inclusion specifically in Africa, and its economic impact, especially as beef exports increase.

Assembly and phylogeographical analysis of novel Taenia solium mitochondrial genomes suggest stratification within the African-American genotype.

BACKGROUND: Taenia solium is a parasite of public health concern, causing human taeniasis and cysticercosis. Two main genotypes have been identified: Asian and African-American. Although characterizing T. solium genotypes is crucial to understanding the genetic epidemiology of its diseases, not much is known about the differences between T. solium mitochondrial genomes from different genotypes. Also, little is known about whether genotypes are further subdivided. Therefore, this study aimed to identify a set of point mutations distributed throughout the T. solium mitochondrial genome that differentiate the African-American from the Asian genotype. Another objective was to identify whether T. solium main genotypes are further stratified. METHODS: One Mexican and two Peruvian T. solium mitochondrial genomes were assembled using reads available in the NCBI Sequence Read Archive and the reference genome from China as a template. Mutations with respect to the Chinese reference were identified by multiple genome alignment. Jensen-Shannon and Grantham scores were computed for mutations in protein-coding genes to evaluate whether they affected protein function. Phylogenies by Bayesian inference and haplotype networks were constructed using cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 and cytochrome b from these genomes and other isolates to infer phylogeographical relationships. RESULTS: A set of 31 novel non-synonymous point mutations present in all genomes of the African-American genotype were identified. These mutations were distributed across the mitochondrial genome, differentiating the African-American from the Asian genotype. All occurred in non-conserved protein positions. Furthermore, the analysis suggested a stratification of the African-American genotypes into an East African and a West African sublineage. CONCLUSIONS: A novel set of 31 non-synonymous mutations differentiating the main T. solium genotypes was identified. None of these seem to be causing differences in mitochondrial protein function between parasites of the two genotypes. Furthermore, two sublineages within the African-American genotype are proposed for the first time. The presence of the East African sublineage in the Americas suggests an underestimated connection between East African and Latin American countries that might have arisen in the major slave trade between Portuguese Mozambique and the Americas. The results obtained here help to complete the molecular epidemiology of the parasite.

Community knowledge, attitudes and practices related to Taenia solium taeniosis and cysticercosis in Zambia.

BACKGROUND: Several studies on Taenia solium taeniosis / cysticercosis (TSTC) have been conducted in Zambia. However, none has assessed community knowledge, attitudes and practices related to TSTC and epilepsy. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted between November and December 2022. The design consisted of a questionnaire-based survey conducted in each of the 25 purposely selected villages in Chiparamba Rural Health Centre (RHC) catchment area in Chipata district of the Eastern Province. RESULTS: A total of 588 participants comprising 259 (44%) males and 329 (56%) females with median age of 42 years (range 17 to 92 years) were interviewed. Awareness of the signs and symptoms of taeniosis and human cysticercosis (HCC), including transmission and prevention measures was very low. Whilst the majority had heard about epilepsy, they were not able to link HCC to epilepsy. Most participants were aware of cysticerci in pigs (PCC) including its predilection sites but were not aware of mode of transmission and prevention measures. The pork meat inspection by trained professionals was also not a common practice in the area. Risk perception of T. solium infections was thus very low. Overall knowledge, attitude and practice scores related to T. solium infections and to epilepsy were very low with median scores of 0.38 (IQR 0.25-0.54) for knowledge, 0.25 (0.25-0.50) for attitudes, and 0.31 (0.25-0.44) for practices. Males had better knowledge on TSTC (median = 0.42, p = 0.017, r = 0.098) and better practice scores (median = 0.38, p = < 0.001, r = 0.154) compared to females though the effect size was small. With regards to sanitation and hygiene washing with soap and water was reported by many but only few had a hand washing facility near their latrines. CONCLUSION: The study shows overall poor knowledge, attitudes and practices related to TSTC among the community of Chiparamba RHC in Chipata district of the Eastern Province of Zambia. This poses a serious challenge for control and elimination of T. solium infections and thus efforts to improve knowledge, attitudes and practices should be made using a One Health approach for the control and elimination of TSTC. Educational programs about TSTC transmission, signs and symptoms, prevention, management and control need to be scaled up in the study area and Zambia as a whole.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding porcine cysticercosis control among smallholder pig farmers in Kongwa and Songwe districts, Tanzania: A cross-sectional study.

Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis (TSTC) is a parasitic zoonotic disease that is endemic in several developing countries, causing serious public health and economic impacts. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) related to porcine cysticercosis (PCC) transmission, prevention and control among smallholder pig farmers in Kongwa and Songwe Districts in Tanzania. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 692 smallholder pig farmers from randomly selected households. STATA software version 17 was used to analyse quantitative data, summarize farmers' KAP about PCC and calculate performance scores. Nearly half (42%) of the respondents had little knowledge regarding PCC, only 17% of the respondents had good practices towards prevention/control of PCC and 72% had a positive attitude towards PCC- prevention/control measures. The majority (73%) of smallholder pig farmers admitted deworming their pigs regularly, whereas 76% reported deworming themselves and their family members regularly. Albendazole and ivermectin are the most commonly used medications for deworming people and pigs, respectively. According to the findings, the majority of smallholder pig farmers in Kongwa and Songwe Districts showed a good attitude towards PCC prevention/control measures but had limited knowledge of the PCC life cycle and control. In addition, only one in five farmers was engaged in good practices. The findings revealed further that farmers are engaged in risky behaviours that aid the spread and perpetuation of the T. solium parasite in the study area. It is recommended that farmers should be given proper health education on the T. solium transmission cycle and preventive/control practices to limit PCC transmission.

Confirmation by necropsy of a high prevalence of porcine cysticercosis in a rural district of Madagascar.

Neurocysticercosis is recognized as an important health issue in the Malagasy population. To date, investigations into prevalence of infection with the causative agent, Taenia solium, in the parasite's natural animal intermediate hosts, have relied on serological methods which have been found to be non-specific. We determined the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis among pigs from a contiguous area of the Betafo and Mandoto administrative districts, Vakinankaratra Region, Madagascar. One hundred and four slaughter-weight pigs were examined by detailed necropsy examination including slicing of the heart, tongue, masseter muscles, diaphragm and carcase musculature. Thirty-seven animals (35.6%) were found infected with T. solium, representing one of the highest rates of infection ever reported, worldwide. These findings highlight the importance of T. solium in Madagascar and support the need for increased efforts to prevent the parasite's transmission to reduce its burden on the health of the Malagasy population.

Cysticercosis in free-ranging agoutis (Dasyprocta leporina) in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon.

The study describes the occurrence of cysticercosis in liver of 22 wild agoutis (Dasyprocta leporina) in the Brazilian Amazon. The phylogenetic analysis and microscopic characteristics of metacestodes in liver tissue sections, associated with the geographic distribution of the intermediate hosts indicated that a possibly novel Taenia sp. metacestode caused the parasitism. Additionally, two cases of hepatic co-infection by Taenia sp., Calodium sp. and Echinococcus oligarthra were also observed among the analyzed animals. The results point to the need for a better understanding of hepatotropic parasites among wild rodents in the Brazilian Amazon.

Development and Laboratory Evaluation of a Simple, Field-Applicable Coproantigen Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Diagnosis of Taeniasis in Northern Peru.

Coproantigen detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (coAg ELISA) is a vital tool for detecting and treating cases of Taenia solium taeniasis. However, the assay's procedures require costly materials and sophisticated equipment, which are typically inaccessible in rural settings where the disease is endemic. To overcome these barriers, we developed and evaluated a field-applicable coAg ELISA. The field coAg ELISA was developed and evaluated across four phases using known positive and negative stool samples collected from northern Peru. Phase I focused on field assay development, phase II on a small-scale performance evaluation, phase III on a large-scale evaluation, and phase IV on the use and reliability of a colorimetric scale card. All samples were processed using the field and standard assay procedures and compared using signal-to-noise ratios, correlation tests, performance characteristics, and agreement statistics where appropriate. The field coAg ELISA using reagents stored at -20°C and commercially available water and milk powder, and relying on spontaneous separation of the supernatant, had performance comparable to the standard assay. The field coAg ELISA was strongly correlated with the standard in both the small- and large-scale laboratory evaluation (r = 0.99 and r = 0.98, respectively). Finally, the field assay had an almost perfect agreement between independent readers (kappa = 0.975) and between each reader and the spectrophotometer. The field coAg ELISA demonstrated performance comparable to the standard, providing a low-cost alternative to the standard assay for identifying cases of intestinal taeniasis in a low-resource setting.

Acute cysticercosis caused by Cysticercus tenuicollis in lambs.

Twelve 30- to 75-day-old mixed breed lambs were examined in an intensive system because of sudden recumbency and death. Clinical examination revealed sudden recumbency, visceral pain, and auscultation of respiratory crackles. Lambs died shortly (between 30 minutes and 3 hours) after the onset of clinical signs. The lambs were necropsied, and after routine parasitology, bacteriology and histopathology procedures, the occurrence of acute cysticercosis caused by Cysticercus tenuicollis was confirmed. The use of the suspect infested feed (newly purchased starter concentrate) was discontinued and other lambs of the flock were treated with praziquantel (15 mg/kg, single dose, orally). After these actions, no new cases were observed. The present study showed the importance of preventive measures against cysticercosis in intensive sheep farming systems which include proper storage of feed, preventing feed and environmental access by potential definitive hosts, and implementing consistent parasite control programs in dogs that are in contact with sheep.

A meta-analysis on the prevalence of Taenia solium and Taenia saginata infections in India.

Tapeworm infections in humans are considered to be a significant public health menace. Despite its public health importance, the data on tapeworm infection remains fragmented and underutilised. The present study reviews the overall burden and distribution of taeniasis and cysticercosis caused by Taenia solium and Taenia saginata in India by conducting a systematic review of the scientific literature based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Data from 19 eligible articles were analysed and the prevalence of T. solium-associated taeniasis/cysticercosis was found to be 11.06% (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.856 to 16.119) and the prevalence of T. saginata-associated taeniasis was found to be 4.7% (95% CI 3.301 to 6.301). This systematic review and meta-analysis provides a comprehensive analysis of the available literature on tapeworm infections and assesses the burden of Taenia infection from India, identifying areas of high prevalence requiring active surveillance and public health interventions.

The epidemiology of human Taenia solium infections: A systematic review of the distribution in Eastern and Southern Africa.

BACKGROUND: Taenia solium is a tapeworm that causes taeniosis in humans and cysticercosis in humans and pigs. Within Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA), information on the presence of human taeniosis and cysticercosis seems scarce. This systematic review aimed to describe the current information available and gaps in the epidemiology of human T. solium infections in ESA. METHODS/PRINCIPLE FINDINGS: Scientific literature published between 1st January 2000 and 20th June 2022 in international databases [MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Global Health (Ovid), Scopus (Elsevier), African Index Medicus (via WHO Global Index Medicus), and Open Grey] was systematically reviewed for ESA. The study area included 27 countries that make up the ESA region. Information on either taeniosis, cysticercosis or NCC was available for 16 of 27 countries within the region and a total of 113 reports were retained for the review. Most case reports for cysticercosis and NCC were from South Africa, while Tanzania had the most aggregated cysticercosis reports. Eleven countries reported on NCC with seven countries reporting data on NCC and epilepsy. Unconfirmed human T. solium taeniosis cases were reported in nine countries while two countries (Madagascar and Zambia) reported confirmed T. solium cases. The cysticercosis seroprevalence ranged between 0.7-40.8% on antigen (Ag) ELISA and between 13.1-45.3% on antibody (Ab) ELISA. Based on immunoblot tests the Ab seroprevalence was between 1.7-39.3%, while the proportion of NCC-suggestive lesions on brain CT scans was between 1.0-76% depending on the study population. The human taeniosis prevalence based on microscopy ranged between 0.1-14.7%. Based on Copro Ag-ELISA studies conducted in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia, the highest prevalence of 19.7% was reported in Kenya. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the public health and economic impact of T. solium in ESA, there are still large gaps in knowledge about the occurrence of the parasite, and the resulting One Health disease complex, and monitoring of T. solium taeniosis and cysticercosis is mostly not in place.

An epidemiological survey of porcine cysticercosis in Rungwe District, Tanzania.

Taeniasis/cysticercosis caused by tapeworms belonging to the genus Taenia, poses serious veterinary and public health problems, resulting in economic burden in endemic low-income countries worldwide. However, little epidemiological data exist on infection status among pigs in many areas in Tanzania. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in Rungwe District, Mbeya Region, Tanzania, to define the prevalence and risk factors associated with porcine cysticercosis transmission. One-hundred sixty-nine pigs from 152 households were examined for circulating taeniid antigens by cysticercosis antigen (Ag) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Agarose gel electrophoresis was used to differentially diagnose Taenia species-specific cysticerci DNA bands. Structured questionnaires were administered in the surveyed households to collect information on risk factors for porcine cysticercosis transmission. Sera from eleven household pigs tested positive for porcine cysticercosis in the Ag-ELISA with an apparent prevalence of 6.5 % (95 % C.I. 3.8-11.3 %) and estimated true prevalence of 6.1 % (95 % C.I. 3.3-10.9 %). DNA Gel electrophoresis confirmed that 100 % of cysticerci isolated amongst pigs slaughtered in the study area belonged to T. solium. Of the five surveyed wards, positive household pigs were from Bulyaga, Kiwira, and Mpuguso. Lack of knowledge on porcine cysticercosis among household members was found to be significantly associated with positivity of Taenia species antigen in pigs sera (OR = 7.742, p = 0.017). Our results show that porcine cysticercosis is prevalent in Rungwe. There is a definite need to establish control measures against this potential zoonosis to safeguard veterinary and public health in the Rungwe District.

Spatial and temporal distribution of Taenia solium and its risk factors in Uganda.

OBJECTIVES: The lack of subnational mapping of the zoonotic cestode Taenia solium in endemic countries presents a major challenge to achieving intensified T. solium control milestones, as outlined in the "World Health Organization neglected tropical disease roadmap by 2030". We conducted a mapping study in Uganda, considered to be endemic, to identify subnational high-risk areas. METHODS: T. solium prevalence data, adjusted for diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in a Bayesian framework, were identified through a systematic review. Spatial autocorrelation and interpolation techniques were used to transform demographic and health survey cluster-level sanitation and poverty indicators, overlaid onto a pig density map for Uganda into modelled  porcine cysticercosis (PCC) risk maps. RESULTS: A total of 16 articles (n = 11 PCC and n = 5 human cysticercosis (HCC) and/or human taeniasis) were included in the final analysis. The observed HCC prevalence ranged from 0.01% to 6.0% (confidence interval range: 0.004-11.4%), whereas the adjusted PCC ranged from 0.3 to 93.9% (uncertainty interval range: 0-99.8%). There was substantial variation in the modelled  PCC risk factors and prevalence across Uganda and over time. CONCLUSION: The high PCC prevalence and moderate HCC exposure estimates indicate the need for urgent implementation of T. solium control efforts in Uganda.

Taenia solium: Socioeconomic changes and prevalence evolution in four endemic communities in northwestern Mexico.

In Mexico, for the past 30 years, a continuous decrease in the incidence of clinical taeniosis/cysticercosis has been documented. This work aimed to determine the influence of improvement in socioeconomic conditions on the prevalence of Taenia solium in four endemic communities in northwestern Mexico. This study was carried out in two phases. First, documentary information (1989-2018) was collected about the prevalence of Theridion solium in the federal entity of Sinaloa State. Second, a pilot study was performed in four communities of Sinaloa, which had an endemic history of Taenia transmission. In each community, a risk factor questionnaire was applied, and serum and stool samples were collected for convenience in a non-probabilistic way. Anti-cysticercus antibodies and adult worm coproantigen were determined. The documentary analysis showed the incidence of taeniosis and cysticercosis to have decreased by 98 and 53%, respectively, while the human development index increased by 5% (1992-2017). Our data suggest that the risk of parasitic transmission is low, although female sex was a risk factor for reporting tremors or seizures (prevalence rate 2.1336, CI: 1.1821-3.8508) and background of tapeworm infection (prevalence rate 1.2893, CI: 0.9795-1.6972). No tapeworms or eggs were found while examining stool samples, but protozoa cysts were observed in four samples. Unexpectedly, only one of the 79 stool samples was positive for coproantigens. This positive result was confirmed in a second sample. However, the evaluation of a third sample was negative. No antibodies were found in human (n = 377) or pig (n = 69) samples. These data suggest parasite transmission has been interrupted and could be possibly associated with improving socioeconomic conditions. Further studies are needed to determine the real prevalence of zoonoses in Mexico.