Seroprevalence of cysticercosis in children and young adults living in a helminth endemic community in leyte, the Philippines

Knowledge and practices about taeniasis/cysticercosis complex within the framework of the national plan for its elimination in Colombia, 2019

The taeniasis/cysticercosis complex (TCC) belongs to the group of neglected infectious diseases with a multifactorial transmission that includes hosts such as humans and pigs of the parasitic tapeworm (Taenia solium) and environmental factors. This study represents the first phase of the National and Cross-sectoral Plan for TCC Elimination.

OBJECTIVES

To obtain data about knowledge and practices in relation to the TCC from knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) surveys applied in two pilot localities for building a baseline of the potential risk factors related to identification, prevention, and control of TCC in Colombia.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional survey from October to November in 2019 was carried out using a structured questionnaire and random sampling by single-stage conglomerates in the municipalities of Mahates, Bolívar (n=152) (Atlantic Region) and Mercaderes, Cauca (n=152) (Andean Region).

RESULTS

Respondents in Mahates showed moderate knowledge about TCC compared to those in Mercaderes, however, risky practices were identified in both places (consumption of pork with cysts and defecation in places other than the bathroom or latrine). Deficiency in infrastructure and failure in basic services were observed as potential risk factors for TCC transmission in both municipalities.

CONCLUSION

Based on the framework of the National and Cross-sectoral Plan for TCC Elimination, adequate knowledge on identification, prevention, and control of the disease must be reinforced; cultural and ecological differences should be considered when designing communication and knowledge transmission tools. We consider that major investment should be made in improving basic services and creating sustainable modernized pig farming in Mahates and Mercaderes.

Risk factors and prevalence of taeniasis among the Karen people of Tha Song Yang District, Tak Province, Thailand

Taeniasis remains a prevalent public health problem in Thailand. National helminthiasis surveys report only the incidence of Taenia spp. eggs. The ability to differentiate Taenia species using morphological and molecular techniques is vital for epidemiological surveys. This study detected taeniasis carriers and other helminthic infections by Kato's thick smear technique and identified the Taenia species by multiplex PCR. The study subjects were the ethnic Karen people in Tha Song Yang District, Tak Province, Thailand, bordering Myanmar. In total, 983 faecal samples from villagers were examined for helminthiases. Interview-based questionnaires were used to gather information on possible risk factors for infection. The prevalence of helminth infections was 42.7% (420/983), including single (37.3%, 367/983) and mixed infections (5.4%, 53/983). The most common infection (19.23%, 189/983) was Ascaris lumbricoides, whereas taeniasis carriers comprised 2.8% (28/983). Multiplex PCR of Cox1 was used for species identification of Taenia tapeworms, eggs, or both in 22 taeniasis carriers. Most of the parasites (20 cases) were Taenia solium, with two cases of Taenia saginata. Taenia saginata asiatica was not found in the villagers examined. The analysis of 314 completed questionnaires showed that a statistically significant (p < 0.05) risk of taeniasis was correlated with being male, a history of being allowed to forage during childhood, a history of seeing tapeworm proglottids, and a history of raw or undercooked pork consumption. Health education programmes must seek to reduce and prevent reinfection in these communities.

Prevalence of meat-transmitted Taenia and Trichinella parasites in the Far East countries

Taenia and Trichinella parasites are globally distributed foodborne zoonotic pathogens transmitted from animal to humans via consumption of raw or undercooked meats. This short review is intended to provide the parasites community a snapshot of the literature on the current and recent prevalence of taeniasis and trichinellosis in humans and animals in the Far East countries. Prevalence rates in these countries are highly diverse due to differences in development, culture, ethnic and religious background, animal forming practices, and eating habits. Taenia and Trichinella remain as important meat-transmitted pathogens in the Far East. A One Health approach is needed to eliminate or continuously reduce the foodborne zoonotic taeniasis and trichinellosis in the Far East.

Human Cysticercosis in Asia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Cysticercosis in among the neglected tropical disease caused by eating the egg of parasite Taenia solium. In this review, we aimed to verify the prevalence of human cysticercosis in different countries of Asia using systematic review and meta-analysis approach.

METHODS

Based of the protocol, reliable databases including PubMed, SCOPUS, Science Direct, Embase, and Cochrane Library from 1990-2018 were searched using a panel of keywords. Overall, 48 countries of Asia were searched in turn and data were analyzed using a category of statistical tests.

RESULTS

Out of 28 included studies, 586175 samples were collected and included in the data analysis. Based on the meta-analysis results, the overall pooled percent of cysticercosis was estimated 3.8% (95% CI: [2.0, 7.0]). According to the result of heterogeneity statistics including I-squared, chi-square, and tau-squared, it was statistically significant (Tau2 = 2.94, chi2 = 12733.31, P<0.001, I2 = 100%) therefore a random effect model was used to handle the heterogeneity of studies. To evaluate the trend of cysticercosis over the time, Cumulative meta-analysis was performed and the result showed that there was a minor upward tendency in the prevalence of cysticercosis over the time.

CONCLUSION

Although, considering the religious culture and food habits in Asia, we might have expected to witness a low prevalence of human cysticercosis, but we noticed more or less significant infection in some countries of the region. Regarding the new feature of immigration and travel between countries, all authorities are advised to take measures on controlling and monitoring the disease.

Prevalence and risk factors for neurocysticercosis in children with a first-onset seizure in rural North India

BACKGROUND

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a parasitic infection acquired by consuming food and water contaminated by the faeces of a Taenia solium tapeworm carrier. It is an important cause of acquired seizures and also the common identifiable cause of new-onset seizures in children.

METHODS

A hospital-based prospective cross-sectional study of NCC was undertaken in a medical college in north-west India. All patients aged 1-15 years admitted to the paediatric emergency room with a first-onset seizure were selected.NCC was diagnosed and staged on the basis of MRI findings. A structured, pretested schedule was administered to each patient's parent for analysis of risk factors for NCC.

RESULTS

Of 79 patients with first-onset seizure, 43 (54.4% were diagnosed with NCC based on MRI findings. The association of NCC with age and pig-rearing near the patients' homes was statistically significant (p = 0.01 and 0.02, respectively). The association between NCC and other risk factors such as gender, religion, father's occupation, parents' literacy, source and storage of drinking water, the washing and peeling of fruit and vegetables and distance of refuse disposal from residential areas was not statistically significant. Although open defaecation is an important risk factor for transmission of NCC, there was no significant association with NCC.

CONCLUSION

In India, NCC is a common cause of first-onset seizure. The major risk factors are poor environmental sanitation and poor food and drinking water hygiene. NCC can be controlled and prevented by generating awareness of hygienic consumption of food and water and the provision of good sanitation.

Cysticercosis, a Potential Public Health Concern in Kuwait: A New Diagnostic Method to Screen Taenia solium Taeniasis Carriers in the Expatriate Population

OBJECTIVE

Taenia solium infection is not endemic to Kuwait, butseveral casesof cysticercosis have been detected in Kuwaiti nationals with no history of travelling to endemic countries. Infected domestic helpers/food handlers from endemic countries who may have escaped detection of infection by microscopy at the time of their arrival in Kuwait have been suspected as the possible source of infection. This study determined the seroprevalence of T. solium among domestic helpers/food handlers by screening their blood using a sensitive taeniasis-specific anti-rES33 antibody assay.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Newly arrived domestic helpers (n = 500) and food handlers (n = 500) from endemic countries were enrolled in the period 2015-2017. T. solium-specific rES33 antigen was expressed and purified from human embryonic kidney (HEK)293-6E cells using the pTT5 mammalian expression vector. Stool samples were processed for microscopy, and blood samples were screened to detect anti-T. soliumtaeniasis-specific IgG antibodies by ELISA.

RESULTS

All stool samples were negative for T. soliumparasiteeggs by microscopy. However, 42 individuals (4.2%) tested positive for T. soliumtaeniasis-specific IgG antibodies. Though statistically not significant, the IgG seropositivity was higher in individuals with a lower education level, a low-income background, and a lower frequency of hand-washing.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first report from Kuwait and the Middle East on the detection of anti-T. soliumtaeniasis-specific serum IgG antibodies among the high-risk expatriate population. The results emphasize the importance of efficient and sensitive screening of T. solium carriers and thus the prevention of infection transmission and development of cysticercosis in the local population.

Zoonotic transmission of intestinal helminths in southeast Asia: Implications for control and elimination

Intestinal helminths are extremely widespread and highly prevalent infections of humans, particularly in rural and poor urban areas of low and middle-income countries. These parasites have chronic and often insidious effects on human health and child development including abdominal problems, anaemia, stunting and wasting. Certain animals play a fundamental role in the transmission of many intestinal helminths to humans. However, the contribution of zoonotic transmission to the overall burden of human intestinal helminth infection and the relative importance of different animal reservoirs remains incomplete. Moreover, control programmes and transmission models for intestinal helminths often do not consider the role of zoonotic reservoirs of infection. Such reservoirs will become increasingly important as control is scaled up and there is a move towards interruption and even elimination of parasite transmission. With a focus on southeast Asia, and the Philippines in particular, this review summarises the major zoonotic intestinal helminths, risk factors for infection and highlights knowledge gaps related to their epidemiology and transmission. Various methodologies are discussed, including parasite genomics, mathematical modelling and socio-economic analysis, that could be employed to improve understanding of intestinal helminth spread, reservoir attribution and the burden associated with infection, as well as assess effectiveness of interventions. For sustainable control and ultimately elimination of intestinal helminths, there is a need to move beyond scheduled mass deworming and to consider animal and environmental reservoirs. A One Health approach to control of intestinal helminths is proposed, integrating interventions targeting humans, animals and the environment, including improved access to water, hygiene and sanitation. This will require coordination and collaboration across different sectors to achieve best health outcomes for all.

Taeniasis and cysticercosis in Asia: A review with emphasis on molecular approaches and local lifestyles

Taeniasis is an important parasitic condition in Asia, especially since all three human-infecting Taenia spp., Taenia solium, Taenia saginata, and Taenia asiatica are found in this region. These three species are believed to be sympatrically distributed, with the largest disease burden found in remote and rural areas where people raise pigs and cattle in a traditional manner. Recent studies revealed that T. asiatica and T. saginata are genetically-related sister species that are not completely reproductively isolated from each other. Current evidence indicates that most T. asiatica adult worms are hybrid-derived descendants. Moving forward, nuclear DNA analysis will be critical in further assessing the species circulating locally. Lifestyle choices, such as the consumption of undercooked meat, are important in maintaining the life cycles of these parasites. In addition, poor hygiene and sanitation, in highly endemic areas, make disease control difficult, resulting in the need for sustainable education programs. An overview of the present situation of taeniasis and cysticercosis in Asia is provided, followed by a discussion of molecular approaches to species assessment and the impact of human lifestyles on parasite transmission.

Porcine cysticercosis (Taenia solium and Taenia asiatica): mapping occurrence and areas potentially at risk in East and Southeast Asia

Background

Due to the relative short life span and the limited spatial movement, porcine cysticercosis is an excellent indicator of current local active transmission. The aim of this study was to map at province-level, the occurrence of T. solium and T. asiatica in pigs and areas at risk of transmission to pigs in East and Southeast Asia, based on the density of extensive pig production systems and confirmed reports of porcine cysticercosis.

Methods

This study covered East and Southeast Asia, which consist of the following countries: Brunei, Cambodia, China, East Timor, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, North Korea, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. Literature searches were carried out to identify current epidemiological data on the occurrence of porcine cysticercosis caused by T. solium and T. asiatica infections. Modelled densities of pigs in extensive production systems were mapped and compared to available data on porcine cysticercosis.

Results

Porcine cysticercosis was confirmed to be present during the period 2000 to 2018 in eight out of the 16 countries included in this study. Taenia solium porcine cysticercosis was confirmed from all eight countries, whereas only one country (Laos) could confirm the presence of T. asiatica porcine cysticercosis. Province-level occurrence was identified in five countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam) across 19 provinces. Smallholder pig keeping is believed to be widely distributed throughout the region, with greater densities predicted to occur in areas of China, Myanmar, Philippines and Vietnam.

Conclusions

The discrepancies between countries reporting taeniosis and the occurrence of porcine cysticercosis, both for T. solium and T. asiatica, suggests that both parasites are underreported. More epidemiological surveys are needed to determine the societal burden of both parasites. This study highlights a straightforward approach to determine areas at risk of porcine cysticercosis in the absence of prevalence data.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-3203-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Cysticercosis/taeniasis endemicity in Southeast Asia: Current status and control measures

The parasitic zoonoses cysticercosis/taeniasis is among the 17 major Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) identified by the WHO as a focus for research and control. It is caused by a larval stage (cysticercus) infection of Taenia solium tapeworm in both humans and pigs. Cysticercosis occurs in many resource-poor countries, especially those with warm and mild climates in the regions of Latin America (LA), Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The prevalence of human cysticercosis is marked in those areas where individuals are traditionally keen to consume raw or insufficiently cooked pork and/or where the husbandry of pigs is improper. The worldwide burden of cysticercosis is unclear and notably, large-scale control initiatives are lacking in all regions. This review focuses on the current endemic status of cysticercosis caused by T. solium infection in both humans and pigs living in 13 Southeast Asian countries. We will also emphasize epidemiological data as well as prevention and control of human neurocysticercosis.

Seroprevalence of fascioliasis, toxocariasis, strongyloidiasis and cysticercosis in blood samples diagnosed in Medic Medical Center Laboratory, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in 2012

Background

Despite the global effort against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), developing countries with middle to low income are still burdened by them. Vietnam has been undergoing substantial economic growth and urbanization, but underprivileged people living in rural and suburban areas are still having little access to public health infrastructure and proper sanitation. Hitherto, limited information is available for seroprevalence and risk factors of several parasitic diseases in Vietnam.

Methods

A retrospective study was performed on diagnostic results of Fasciola spp., Toxocara spp., Strongyloides stercoralis and Taenia solium IgG ELISA tests from Medic Medical Center Laboratory, Ho Chi Minh City in 2012. The data were first stratified before statistical analyses were performed. Seroprevalence of fascioliasis, toxocariasis, strongyloidiasis and cysticercosis was determined and the age and gender risk factors were evaluated.

Results

Seroprevalence of fascioliasis, toxocariasis, strongyloidiasis and cysticercosis was 5.9 % (590/10,084; 95 % CI: 5.44–6.36), 45.2 % (34,995/77,356; 95 % CI: 44.85–45.55), 7.4 % (3,174/42,920; 95 % CI: 7.15–7.65) and 4.9 % (713/14,601; 95 % CI: 4.55–5.25), respectively. Co-exposure to multiple parasites was detected in 890 males (45.7 %; 95 % CI: 43.49–47.91) and 1,059 females (54.3 %; 95 % CI: 52.09–56.51). Social structure and differences in behavioural factors caused the gender factor to have a significant effect on the prevalence of all the diseases, while the seropositivity for fascioliasis and strongyloidiasis were age group-related.

Conclusions

The seroprevalence of fascioliasis, toxocariasis, strongyloidiasis and cysticercosis in the blood samples diagnosed in Medic Medical Center Laboratory, Ho Chi Minh City, in year 2012 were comparatively high. The Vietnamese customs and cultures, dietary habits and agricultural practices exposed them to high risk of contracting NTDs. Despite the possibility of false positive results due to antigenic cross-reactions, detection of IgG antibodies remains as a reliable method in sero-epidemiological study as it is non-invasive and demonstrates previous exposure of individuals to the parasites. Besides the implementation of strategies to control these diseases, epidemiological analysis and surveillance of diseases should also be continually strengthened to monitor the effectiveness of regimens and interventions.

Taenia solium Taeniasis and Cysticercosis in Southeast Asia

Human taeniasis/cysticercosis caused by the pork tapeworm Taenia solium has been identified as a potentially eradicable disease by the International Task Force for Disease Eradication of the World Health Organization. In southeast Asia, T. solium taeniasis/cysticercosis is considered one of the major neglected tropical diseases afflicting the region. In the last few decades, a considerable effort has been invested toward establishing the epidemiology and burden of disease in several southeast Asian countries. Moreover, further evidence is emerging as to understanding the dynamics of disease transmission and cultural, political, and socioeconomic factors influencing the success of control and eradication efforts within the region. However, despite major collaborations by several champion groups, advances have been slow and little remains known about the complete epidemiology of taeniasis/cysticercosis and the barriers to programmatic success. This review article aims to address the above issues with a further focus on the challenges to control and eradicate taeniasis/cysticercosis within the southeast Asia region.

Anti-Taenia solium larval stage Ig G antibodies in patients with epileptic seizures

Background:

Cysticercosis is the most common differential diagnosis for epilepsy. The present study was carried out to assess the serological response among patients with epileptic seizures visiting JIPMER Hospital Puducherry.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 934 serum samples were collected from patients with epileptic seizures. A standardized questionnaire was designed to obtain information on the demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and behavioral characteristics related to the transmission of infection. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the anti-Taenia solium larval stage IgG antibodies. Samples found reactive and inconclusive by ELISA were further tested by the enzyme immunotransfer blot (EITB).

Results:

The frequency of antibodies in the serum samples of the above-mentioned population was 16.2% by EITB. Anti-Taenia solium larval stage antibodies were detected in serum samples of 163 patients, out of which 27 (16.56%) patients belonged to the 0 – 15-year age group, 82 (50.30%) patients were in the 16 – 40-year age group, and 52 (31.90%) patients were above 41 years, respectively. Although the sera from males had higher OD values than those from females, the difference was not statistically significant. Out of 163 seropositive by ELISA, 152 (93.25%) were found to be positive by EITB. Out of the 152, 61 (40.13%) were farmers and 79 (51.97%) were office or factory workers.

Conclusions:

In conclusion, the results indicate a probable endemic situation and a high prevalence of cysticercosis in patients with epileptic seizures. Living in poor sanitary conditions seems to be an important factor related to human cysticercosis in Puducherry and the neighboring districts of Tamil Nadu.