title: Seroprevalence and risk factors of human cysticercosis and taeniasis prevalence in a highly endemic area of epilepsy in Bangoua, west Cameroon.
abstract: Cysticercosis caused by the larvae of Taenia solium is a serious and emerging threat to public health in the endemic areas as well as in the non-endemic areas.　Neurocysticercosis, an affection of the central nervous system is a leading cause of epilepsy in endemic areas. This study was carried out to investigate human cysticercosis, taeniasis and risk factors, and also their association with epilepsy in Bangoua, west Cameroon where epilepsy is highly prevalent. Out of 384 people investigated, 12 (3.1%) exhibited antibody response against low molecular weight antigens of T. solium by ELISA. Immunoblot revealed that six persons (1.6%) were seropositive with the same antigens. Among 61 epileptic patients, only one was seropositive by immunoblot and the study did not find any statistically significant difference (P>0.05) in seropositivity to T. solium between epileptic persons (1/61, 1.6%) and non-epileptic group (5/323, 1.5%). In addition, cysticercosis was associated with households eating pork meat from pigs slaughtered at home, but not with other factors. The risk factors including pig farming, the consumption of pork meat, vegetables, and non-drinkable water were attenuated by the relatively good hygiene and pig husbandry practices of the population. No egg of Taenia was found in stool by microscopic examination. All data obtained in this study suggested that cysticercosis might not be the principal causative agent of epilepsy in this area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan; Medical Research Centre, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM), Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, Yaoundé, Cameroon. Electronic address: ankouawa@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Agathe
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nkouawa
authors.affiliation: Université des Montagnes, Bangangté, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Armel Romeo
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Dschanou
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Centre, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM), Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Department of Parasitology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moyou-Somo
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sako
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000469:parasitology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000469:parasitology*; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D041201:Taenia solium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cameroon; Cysticercosis; Epilepsy; Taeniasis