title: Human cysticercosis in Portugal: long gone or still contemporary?
abstract: Cysticercosis, a leading cause of acquired epilepsy in developing countries, has been controlled or eradicated in industrialized countries. This paradigm has recently been challenged, with human neurocysticercosis (NCC) being increasingly diagnosed in these countries. In order to assess the NCC burden in Portugal, a retrospective study on NCC hospitalizations (2006-2013) was conducted based on the national database on hospital morbidity: 357 hospitalized cases were detected. NCC was most frequent in the following age groups: 20-64 years (n = 197, 55·2%) >64 years (n = 111, 31·1%), and <20 years (n = 49, 13·7%). In the Norte and Centro regions cases tended to be older than in the Lisboa and Vale do Tejo Region. The results raise concerns for imported and autochthonous disease, suggesting the Lisboa and Vale do Tejo Region, due to its higher frequency of cases at younger ages, as a priority for research and intervention, and further suggest that NCC should be under surveillance (notifiable). The National Observatory of Cysticercosis and Taeniasis has been established and will define NCC cases as well as monitoring and surveillance.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas (ICAAM), Universidade de Évora, Portugal.|European Network on Taeniosis/Cysticercosis, CYSTINET - COST Action TD1302.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vilhena
authors.affiliation: European Network on Taeniosis/Cysticercosis, CYSTINET - COST Action TD1302.|Public Health Department, Nova Medical School / Faculdade Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: A G
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6925-1671
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.affiliation: Public Health Department, Nova Medical School / Faculdade Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas (ICAAM), Universidade de Évora, Portugal.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marques DA Silva
authors.affiliation: European Network on Taeniosis/Cysticercosis, CYSTINET - COST Action TD1302.|Public Health Department, Nova Medical School / Faculdade Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Torgal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Neurocysticercosis; Portugal; surveillance