title: Neurocysticercosis in a rural population with extensive pig production in Angónia district, Tete Province, Mozambique.
abstract: Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is an important neurological disease in countries with high prevalence of Taenia solium infection and is emerging as a serious public health and economic problem. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of NCC in Angónia district, Tete province, Mozambique based on: prevalence of human T. solium cysticercosis assessed by antigen Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (Ag-ELISA) seropositivity, history of epilepsy, and brain computed tomography (CT) scan results. A cross sectional study was conducted between September and November 2007 in Angónia district. Questionnaires and blood samples were collected from 1,723 study subjects. Brain CT-scans were carried out on 151 study subjects with confirmed history of epilepsy. A total of 77 (51.0% (95% CI, 42.7-59.2)) and 38 (25.2% (95% CI, 18.5-32.9)) subjects met the criteria for definitive and probable diagnosis of NCC, respectively. T. solium Ag-ELISA seropositivity was found in 15.5% (95% CI, 12.8-16.2) of the study subjects. The estimated life time prevalence of epilepsy was 8.8% (95% CI, 7.5-10.2). Highly suggestive lesions of NCC were found on CT-scanning in 77 (71.9%, (95% CI, 62.4-80.2)) of the seropositive and 8 (18.1%, (95% CI, 8.2-32.7)) of the seronegative study subjects, respectively. The present findings revealed a high prevalence of NCC among people with epilepsy in Angónia district. Determination of effective strategies for prevention and control of T. solium cysticercosis are necessary to reduce the burden of NCC among the affected populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Medical Faculty Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Yunus Amade
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Assane
authors.affiliation: Section for Parasitology and Aquatic Diseases, Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: Chiara@sund.ku.dk.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trevisan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: Clara Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Schutte
authors.affiliation: Medical Faculty Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique; Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, United States.
authors.forename: Emilia Virginia
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Noormahomed
authors.affiliation: Section for Parasitology and Aquatic Diseases, Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Maria Vang
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Johansen
authors.affiliation: Section for Parasitology and Aquatic Diseases, Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Magnussen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000592:standards; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009073:Mozambique / Q000453:epidemiology; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013552:Swine / Q000469:parasitology*; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D041201:Taenia solium / Q000302:isolation & purification*
keywords: Antigen Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay; Computed tomography scan; Epilepsy; Mozambique; Neurocysticercosis; Taenia solium cysticercosis