title: Risk factors associated with porcine cysticercosis in selected districts of Eastern and Southern provinces of Zambia.
abstract: To determine the risk factors associated with Taenia solium transmission in humans and pigs in the rural areas of Eastern and Southern provinces of Zambia, a questionnaire was administered in 788 households from 155 villages. Pigs were examined from 800 households. Tongue examination and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Ag-ELISA) for the detection of circulating antigens of T. solium cysticerci were used to measure infection in pigs. A snowballing technique was utilised to select households with pigs. Prevalence of households with pigs infected with T. solium on tongue examination by district ranged from 12.7% to 32.1% with Ag-ELISA having a range of 30.0-51.7%. Of the total number of households visited, 18.8% and 37.6% had at least one pig positive for porcine cysticercosis on tongue examination and Ag-ELISA, respectively. Risk factors associated with T. solium infection were lack of pork inspection at slaughter (96.7%), consumption of pork with cysts (20.1%), selling of pork infected with T. solium cysticerci (18.3%), free-range husbandry system (83.2%) and absence of latrines (58.0). Free-range husbandry system (OR=1.68; 95% CI=1.36-2.07) was a significant risk factor for porcine cysticercosis in the surveyed areas. The result that pigs were mostly kept on free-range and semi-intensive husbandry systems may have permitted them to have access to eating human faeces that could be contaminated with tapeworm eggs. This study has shown that T. solium infection poses a high public health risk in the study areas and urban areas as well. We recommend that a human survey be conducted to verify the human exposure to taeniasis and/or cysticercosis in Zambia.
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Sikasunge
authors.forename: I K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Phiri
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Phiri
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dorny
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siziya
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Willingham
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000662:veterinary; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D016015:Logistic Models; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*; D041201:Taenia solium / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014059:Tongue / Q000276:immunology; D015024:Zambia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015047:Zoonoses