title: Seroepidemiological study of human cysticercosis with blood samples collected on filter paper, in Lages, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, 2004-2005.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human serofrequency of antibodies against Taenia solium antigens was determined and risk factors for cysticercosis transmission were identified.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individuals (n=878) from periurban and rural locations of Lages, SC, were interviewed to gather demographic, sanitary and health information. Interviews and blood sample collections by finger prick on Whatman filter paper were performed from August 2004 to May 2005. Observation determined that 850 samples were suitable for analysis and were tested by ELISA using vesicular fluid of Taenia crassiceps heterologous antigen. To ensure the reliability of the results, 77 samples of the dried blood were matched with sera. The reactive samples were submitted to a serum confirmatory immunoblot (IB) test using purified Taenia crassiceps glycoproteins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ELISA results for the dried blood and serum samples were statistically consistent. ELISA was positive in 186 (21.9%) out of 850 individuals. A group of 213 individuals were asked to collect vein blood for IB (186 with positive result in ELISA and 27 with inappropriate whole blood samples) and 130 attended the request. The IB was positive in 29 (3.4%) out of 850 individuals. A significant correlation (p = 0.0364) was determined among individuals who tested positive in the IB assay who practiced both pig rearing and kitchen gardening.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ELISA with dried blood eluted from filter paper was suitable for cysticercosis population surveys. In Lages, human infection was associated with pig rearing and kitchen gardening. The prevalence index was compatible with other Latin American endemic areas.
authors: Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil. imenes@ccb.ufsc.br
authors: Maria Márcia Imenes
authors: MM
authors: Ishida
authors: Marília Sirianni Dos Santos
authors: MS
authors: Almeida
authors: Noeli Maria
authors: NM
authors: Espíndola
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Iha
authors: Diana Ana
authors: DA
authors: Pereira
authors: Jean Gabriel de
authors: JG
authors: Souza
authors: Theopi Rados
authors: TR
authors: Varvakis
authors: Adelaide José
authors: AJ
authors: Vaz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000295:instrumentation; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008297:Male; D010209:Paper; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013552:Swine; D013621:Taenia / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth