title: Cysticercosis as a major cause of epilepsy in Peru. The Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru (CWG)
abstract: In countries where cysticercosis is endemic, the proportion of epilepsy due to cysticercosis is not well documented. To investigate the association between cysticercosis and epilepsy, we used the enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) assay to detect serum antibodies to Taenia solium in 498 consecutive outpatients at a neurology clinic in Lima, Peru. Every patient was classified as epileptic (n = 189) or non-epileptic (n = 309) after neurological, and where possible electroencephalographic, examination. A substantially higher proportion of epileptic than non-epileptic patients was seropositive in the EITB (22 [12%] vs 8 [3%], p < 0.001). 19% of epileptic patients born outside Lima, 20% of those with late-onset epilepsy, and 29% of patients with both these characteristics were seropositive. Thus, in Peru, cysticercosis is an important aetiological factor for epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gilman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: V C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Pilcher
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alvarado
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miranda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000592:standards; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies