[Cysticercosis and epilepsy: a case-control study in Mbam Valley, Cameroon].
The impact of neurocysticercosis in Africa is not well known, and its role in the occurrence of epilepsy is not well defined. The concomitant high prevalence of both diseases in this region suggests a causal association of cysticercosis and epilepsy. The few attempts to find such a link in Africa have yielded discordant data. In order to answer this question, we conducted a case-control study between June and August 1998 in the Bilomo village in Central Cameroon, where a recent study had demonstrated very high epilepsy prevalence of 58/1000. Ninety-three epilepsy patients and eighty-one age matched controls were included. All subjects were examined by a neurologist and serology for cysticercosis was performed using an ELISA method. Serologies for cysticercosis were positive in twenty-nine out of one hundred and seventy four patients (16.7%; 95% CI: 11.6-23.2). Seventeen cases (18.3%) and twelve controls (14.8%) had a positive serology The odd ratio was 1.3 (95% CI: 0.6-3.0). This study was not in favour of an epidemiological relationship between cysticercosis infection and epileptic disorders.
Dongmo
L
L
Département de neurologie, faculté de médecine et des sciences biomédicales, Université de Yaoundé I, Cameroun.
Druet-Cabanac
M
M
Moyou
S R
SR
Zebaze
D R M
DR
Njamnshi
A K
AK
Sini
V
V
Mapoure
N
N
Echouffo
T J B
TJ
Djeumen
W C
WC
Ndumbe
P M
PM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015984:Causality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D003552:Cysticercus / Q000276:immunology; D003906:Developing Countries; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth