ABSTRACT.-Acevedo-Nieto E.C., Pinto P.S.A., Silva L.F., Guimarães-Peixoto R.P.M., Santos T.O., Ducas C.T.S. & Bevilacqua P.D. 2017. Prevalence and risk factors for porcine cysticercosis in rural communities of eastern Minas Gerais, Brazil. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 37(9):905-910. Setor de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Departamento de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Avenida PH Rolfs s/n. Viçosa, Cysticercosis is caused by Taenia solium, a parasitic zoonosis that affects human and pigs raised free-range in developing countries. The epidemiology of the taeniosis cysticercosis complex in Brazil is poorly understood especially when it comes to field research. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and identify the risk factors associated with porcine cysticercosis in rural communities located in the east of Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil. From 371 farms in the county of Tumiritinga/MG, 101 farms from 14 communities were randomly sampled. Blood samples from pigs were collected, and epidemiological questionnaires were carried out. The serum samples obtained were analyzed through immunodiagnosis techniques, including ELISA and Western Blot, both for the detection of antibodies. The data obtained by different surveys were analyzed using EpiInfo 3.5.1 software to determine seroprevalence and risk factors associated with cysticercosis. The prevalence of farms with porcine cysticercosis was 9.9% (10/101) and antibody-based seropositive was 5.3% (13/247). The results indicate that cysticercosis occurs in high level in the rural area never studied before. These results suggest the presence of tapeworm carriers contributing to the occurrence and maintenance of this zoonotic life cycle in the county. Regarding risk factors, the most significant determinants for porcine cysticercosis in the field were free-range pig management (OR: 17.4, p: 0.0001), the method of disposal of human faeces in the environmental (OR: 7.6; p 0.012), and the size of the farm. Porcine cysticercosis was diagnosed only in areas represented by Agrarian Reform Settlements. From the results, it is possible to recommend as a means of control and prevention the destination of human faeces in appropriate sanitary landfills and the production of pigs in an enclosed area. Additionally, improving education in the communities sampled will indirectly affect the spreading of this disease. The results draw attention to the largest studies of this zoonotic disease in human settlements from rural areas due to the lack of knowledge about the epidemiology of the taeniosis-cysticercosis complex. The results could serve as the basis to support public policies aimed at creating an effective program to control the taeniosis-cysticercosis complex in the studied area. Awareness of TC among medical doctors, veterinarians, meat animal family producers and the public should be developed through appropriate information and education.

Cysticercosis can affect cattle which develop the larvae Taenia saginata. Despite the importance of cysticercosis for public animal health and for the economy, the epidemiological reality of such zoonosis in Brazil is little known. In the southeastern region of the State of Minas Gerais most of the data are obtained from the official Sanitary InspectionServices in slaughterhouses, but little information based on field data from live animals. In order to assess the epidemiological situation of bovine cysticercosis in small and medium-sized rural properties of four municipalities, located in the region of Triângulo Mineiro, we searched the occurrence and the major risk factors associated with transmission of the disease in those properties. We conducted a cross-sectional epidemiological study involving 68 properties located in rural areas of the four municipalities, where there were collected 1002 bovine blood samples and applied an epidemiological questionnaire. The serological diagnosis of cysticercosis was conducted by sorting through indirect ELISA test, and the suspected cases were subjected to Immunoblot for confirmation. This study revealed the prevalence of 4.7% of bovine cysticercosis in rural properties of the municipalities sampled from July to August 2013. The factors which were statistically significant for the transmission of cysticercosis were the expertise of those responsible for the property (OR 5.81 IC 1,), the family income ) and the water quality of the property (OR 9.40 IC 1.97-9.59). Other factors observed were of lower significance. These results identified the main factors which interfere in the transmission of bovine cysticercosis, allowing to subsidize preventive measures and to control this important zoonotic disease in the region of Triângulo Mineiro.

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RESUMO Com o objetivo de avaliar a situação epidemiológica da cisticercose suína e bovina na zona rural de cinco municípios, distribuídos em três distintas regiões do estado de Minas Gerais, foi determinada a prevalência das cisticercoses bovina e suína nas propriedades rurais e os principais fatores de risco que poderiam favorecer a transmissão e manutenção da doença nas referidas propriedades. A pesquisa abrangeu 388 propriedades, localizadas em 91 diferentes comunidades rurais, sendo coletadas 1.792 amostras de sangue bovino e 554 de suíno. Além da avaliação das referidas amostras laboratoriais (ELISA indireto e imunoblot), também foram analisados os dados obtidos da aplicação de um questionário para cada propriedade, no qual constava as informações sobre as condições socioeconômicas, higiênico-sanitárias e as relacionadas ao sistema de criação animal. A prevalência da cisticercose variou de 0,3 a 5,9% nos bovinos e de 0 a 2,8% nos suínos criados artesanalmente nesses municípios pesquisados. Os principais fatores de risco de transmissão identificados foram a fonte de água consumida, a origem da carne, a natureza do município e da região, para a cisticercose bovina, e o destino do esgoto e o sistema de criação, para a cisticercose suína.

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