Geographic correlation between tapeworm carriers and heavily infected cysticercotic pigs.

<h4>Background</h4>Neurocysticercosis is a leading cause of preventable epilepsy in the developing world. Sustainable community-based interventions are urgently needed to control transmission of the causative parasite, Taenia solium. We examined the geospatial relationship between live p...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Seth E O'Neal, Luz M Moyano, Viterbo Ayvar, Guillermo Gonzalvez, Andre Diaz, Silvia Rodriguez, Patricia P Wilkins, Victor C W Tsang, Robert H Gilman, Hector H Garcia, Armando E Gonzalez, Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012-01-01
Series:PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0001953&type=printable
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850161712579215360
author Seth E O'Neal
Luz M Moyano
Viterbo Ayvar
Guillermo Gonzalvez
Andre Diaz
Silvia Rodriguez
Patricia P Wilkins
Victor C W Tsang
Robert H Gilman
Hector H Garcia
Armando E Gonzalez
Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru
author_facet Seth E O'Neal
Luz M Moyano
Viterbo Ayvar
Guillermo Gonzalvez
Andre Diaz
Silvia Rodriguez
Patricia P Wilkins
Victor C W Tsang
Robert H Gilman
Hector H Garcia
Armando E Gonzalez
Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru
author_sort Seth E O'Neal
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Neurocysticercosis is a leading cause of preventable epilepsy in the developing world. Sustainable community-based interventions are urgently needed to control transmission of the causative parasite, Taenia solium. We examined the geospatial relationship between live pigs with visible cysticercotic cysts on their tongues and humans with adult intestinal tapeworm infection (taeniasis) in a rural village in northern Peru. The objective was to determine whether tongue-positive pigs could indicate high-risk geographic foci for taeniasis to guide targeted screening efforts. This approach could offer significant benefit compared to mass intervention.<h4>Methods</h4>We recorded geographic coordinates of all village houses, collected stool samples from all consenting villagers, and collected blood and examined tongues of all village pigs. Stool samples were processed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for presence of Taenia sp. coproantigens indicative of active taeniasis; serum was processed by enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot for antibodies against T. solium cysticercosis (EITB LLGP) and T. solium taeniasis (EITB rES33).<h4>Findings</h4>Of 548 pigs, 256 (46.7%) were positive for antibodies against cysticercosis on EITB LLGP. Of 402 fecal samples, 6 (1.5%) were positive for the presence of Taenia sp. coproantigens. The proportion of coproantigen-positive individuals differed significantly between residents living within 100-meters of a tongue-positive pig (4/79, 5.1%) and residents living >100 meters from a tongue-positive pig (2/323, 0.6%) (p = 0.02). The prevalence of taeniasis was >8 times higher among residents living within 100 meters of a tongue-positive pig compared to residents living outside this range (adjusted PR 8.1, 95% CI 1.4-47.0).<h4>Conclusions</h4>Tongue-positive pigs in endemic communities can indicate geospatial foci in which the risk for taeniasis is increased. Targeted screening or presumptive treatment for taeniasis within these high-risk foci may be an effective and practical control intervention for rural endemic areas.
format Article
id doaj-art-8e57729d8a8c4b76bd63e0099d057c45
institution OA Journals
issn 1935-2727
1935-2735
language English
publishDate 2012-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
spelling doaj-art-8e57729d8a8c4b76bd63e0099d057c452025-08-20T02:22:45ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352012-01-01612e195310.1371/journal.pntd.0001953Geographic correlation between tapeworm carriers and heavily infected cysticercotic pigs.Seth E O'NealLuz M MoyanoViterbo AyvarGuillermo GonzalvezAndre DiazSilvia RodriguezPatricia P WilkinsVictor C W TsangRobert H GilmanHector H GarciaArmando E GonzalezCysticercosis Working Group in Peru<h4>Background</h4>Neurocysticercosis is a leading cause of preventable epilepsy in the developing world. Sustainable community-based interventions are urgently needed to control transmission of the causative parasite, Taenia solium. We examined the geospatial relationship between live pigs with visible cysticercotic cysts on their tongues and humans with adult intestinal tapeworm infection (taeniasis) in a rural village in northern Peru. The objective was to determine whether tongue-positive pigs could indicate high-risk geographic foci for taeniasis to guide targeted screening efforts. This approach could offer significant benefit compared to mass intervention.<h4>Methods</h4>We recorded geographic coordinates of all village houses, collected stool samples from all consenting villagers, and collected blood and examined tongues of all village pigs. Stool samples were processed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for presence of Taenia sp. coproantigens indicative of active taeniasis; serum was processed by enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot for antibodies against T. solium cysticercosis (EITB LLGP) and T. solium taeniasis (EITB rES33).<h4>Findings</h4>Of 548 pigs, 256 (46.7%) were positive for antibodies against cysticercosis on EITB LLGP. Of 402 fecal samples, 6 (1.5%) were positive for the presence of Taenia sp. coproantigens. The proportion of coproantigen-positive individuals differed significantly between residents living within 100-meters of a tongue-positive pig (4/79, 5.1%) and residents living >100 meters from a tongue-positive pig (2/323, 0.6%) (p = 0.02). The prevalence of taeniasis was >8 times higher among residents living within 100 meters of a tongue-positive pig compared to residents living outside this range (adjusted PR 8.1, 95% CI 1.4-47.0).<h4>Conclusions</h4>Tongue-positive pigs in endemic communities can indicate geospatial foci in which the risk for taeniasis is increased. Targeted screening or presumptive treatment for taeniasis within these high-risk foci may be an effective and practical control intervention for rural endemic areas.https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0001953&type=printable
spellingShingle Seth E O'Neal
Luz M Moyano
Viterbo Ayvar
Guillermo Gonzalvez
Andre Diaz
Silvia Rodriguez
Patricia P Wilkins
Victor C W Tsang
Robert H Gilman
Hector H Garcia
Armando E Gonzalez
Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru
Geographic correlation between tapeworm carriers and heavily infected cysticercotic pigs.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
title Geographic correlation between tapeworm carriers and heavily infected cysticercotic pigs.
title_full Geographic correlation between tapeworm carriers and heavily infected cysticercotic pigs.
title_fullStr Geographic correlation between tapeworm carriers and heavily infected cysticercotic pigs.
title_full_unstemmed Geographic correlation between tapeworm carriers and heavily infected cysticercotic pigs.
title_short Geographic correlation between tapeworm carriers and heavily infected cysticercotic pigs.
title_sort geographic correlation between tapeworm carriers and heavily infected cysticercotic pigs
url https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0001953&type=printable
work_keys_str_mv AT setheoneal geographiccorrelationbetweentapewormcarriersandheavilyinfectedcysticercoticpigs
AT luzmmoyano geographiccorrelationbetweentapewormcarriersandheavilyinfectedcysticercoticpigs
AT viterboayvar geographiccorrelationbetweentapewormcarriersandheavilyinfectedcysticercoticpigs
AT guillermogonzalvez geographiccorrelationbetweentapewormcarriersandheavilyinfectedcysticercoticpigs
AT andrediaz geographiccorrelationbetweentapewormcarriersandheavilyinfectedcysticercoticpigs
AT silviarodriguez geographiccorrelationbetweentapewormcarriersandheavilyinfectedcysticercoticpigs
AT patriciapwilkins geographiccorrelationbetweentapewormcarriersandheavilyinfectedcysticercoticpigs
AT victorcwtsang geographiccorrelationbetweentapewormcarriersandheavilyinfectedcysticercoticpigs
AT roberthgilman geographiccorrelationbetweentapewormcarriersandheavilyinfectedcysticercoticpigs
AT hectorhgarcia geographiccorrelationbetweentapewormcarriersandheavilyinfectedcysticercoticpigs
AT armandoegonzalez geographiccorrelationbetweentapewormcarriersandheavilyinfectedcysticercoticpigs
AT cysticercosisworkinggroupinperu geographiccorrelationbetweentapewormcarriersandheavilyinfectedcysticercoticpigs