title: A seroepidemiological study of human cysticercosis in West Cameroon.
abstract: We studied the occurrence of human cysticercosis in 4993 individuals from three rural communities of Menoua Division, West Province of Cameroon. Circulating antigens of Taenia solium metacestodes were detected in 0.4%, 1.0% and 3.0% of the serum samples taken in Bafou, Bamendou and Fonakekeu, respectively, and examined using a monoclonal antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. This test detects only carriers of living cysticerci and gives thus a good idea of the presence of active cysticercosis. The percentage of persons infected with cysticercosis increased with age. Twenty-two of the 34 seropositives underwent computed tomography (CT) of the brain. Thirteen of them were CT-scan positive, which shows that neurocysticercosis was present in 59.1% of the tested seropositive persons. No living cysticerci were detected among 20 seronegative people. About 20.6% of the seropositives had a history of or current taeniasis against only 1.9% of the seronegatives. Based on these figures and on the data on porcine cysticercosis (prevalence: 11%) and human taeniasis (prevalence: 0.13%) collected in the same region, we conclude that T. solium cysticercosis is an endemic, but overlooked public health problem in West Cameroon.
authors.affiliation: University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Nguekam
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Zoli
authors.forename: P O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Zogo
authors.forename: A C T
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Kamga
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Speybroeck
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dorny
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Losson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geerts
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004032:Diet; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health; D041201:Taenia solium / Q000276:immunology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000947:Antigens, Helminth