Are we ready for Taenia solium cysticercosis elimination in sub-Saharan Africa?
The World Health Organization announced in November 2014 at the fourth international meeting on 'the control of neglected zoonotic diseases - from advocacy to action', that intervention tools for eliminating Taenia solium taeniosis/cysticercosis (TSTC) are in place. The aim of this work was to elucidate theoretical outcomes of various control options suggested for TSTC elimination in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) over a 4-year period. Our current knowledge regarding T. solium epidemiology and control primarily builds on studies from Latin America. A simple transmission model - built on data from Latin America - has been used to predict the effect of various interventions such as mass treatment of humans, vaccination and treatment of pigs, and health education of communities, potentially leading to change in bad practices and reducing transmission risks. Based on simulations of the transmission model, even a 4-year integrated One Health approach fails to eliminate TSTC from a small community and in all simulations, the prevalence of human taeniosis and porcine cysticercosis start to rise as soon as the programmes end. Our current knowledge regarding transmission and burden of TSTC in SSA is scarce and while claiming to be tool ready, the selection of diagnostic and surveillance tools, as well as the algorithms and stepwise approaches for control and elimination of TSTC remain major challenges.
Section for Parasitology and Aquatic Diseases,Department of Veterinary Disease Biology,Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences,University of Copenhagen,Dyrlægevej 100,DK-1870 Frederiksberg C,Denmark.
Maria Vang
MV
Johansen
Section for Parasitology and Aquatic Diseases,Department of Veterinary Disease Biology,Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences,University of Copenhagen,Dyrlægevej 100,DK-1870 Frederiksberg C,Denmark.
Chiara
C
Trevisan
Department of Biomedical Sciences,Institute of Tropical Medicine,Antwerp,Belgium.
Sarah
S
Gabriël
Section for Parasitology and Aquatic Diseases,Department of Veterinary Disease Biology,Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences,University of Copenhagen,Dyrlægevej 100,DK-1870 Frederiksberg C,Denmark.
Pascal
P
Magnussen
Section for Parasitology and Aquatic Diseases,Department of Veterinary Disease Biology,Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences,University of Copenhagen,Dyrlægevej 100,DK-1870 Frederiksberg C,Denmark.
Uffe Christian
UC
Braae
D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D060740:Disease Eradication; D019468:Disease Management; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control; D041201:Taenia solium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013622:Taeniasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D014611:Vaccination; D014612:Vaccines; D015047:Zoonoses
D014612:Vaccines

               Taenia solium taeniosis/cysticercosis; control; elimination; intervention tools; sub-Saharan Africa