Prevalence and risk factors for porcine cysticercosis in rural communities of eastern Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

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.

The Frequency of Porcine Cysticercosis and Factors Associated with Taenia solium Infection in the Municipality of Tuchín-Córdoba, Colombia

“…Sarti [ 46 ] in Mexico claims that the expansion of T. solium in rural areas is aided by a lack of understanding of the parasite life cycle and socioeconomic factors, like sanitation, pig husbandry, and pig contact with human feces, affecting transmission. The results of this study are also in line with earlier reports from Diaz [ 47 ] in Peru, Shey-Njila [ 48 ] in Cameroon, Ngowi [ 49 ] in Tanzania, Krecek [ 50 ] in South Africa, Eshitera [ 51 ] in Kenia, and Acevedo-Nieto [ 37 ] in Brazil, who found a higher seroprevalence of porcine cysticercosis in households without latrines and in households with pigs that were not permanently confined and could gain access to human feces.…”

“…This frequency is comparable to that found in neighboring municipalities of the region, Moñitos and Los Córdobas, where postmortem inspection revealed a prevalence of 13.33% [13], ranging from 0.25% in the central region or middle Sinu to 22.2% in municipalities of the coastal zone and Savannah region, specifically Moñitos, Ciénaga de Oro, Chinu, and Sahagun. The serofrequency found was also similar to that reported in other countries such as Brazil with a seroprevalence of 5.3% of porcine cysticercosis in rural communities in eastern Minas Gerais [37], 9.01% in the Sierra of Northern Ecuador [38], and 10.48% in Myanmar in the Nay Pyi Taw area [39].…”

Prevalence and seroprevalence of cysticercosis in Assam

“…The present finding was slightly low compared to the above studies. Seroprevalence of porcine cysticercosis was found to be endemic in many countries like Zambia (Dorny et al 2004) [8] , Brazil (Nieto et al 2017) [12] Colombia (Pinilla et al 2018)) [15] , North of Cameroon (Assana et al 2010) [2] , Venezuela (Alcobedes et al 2010) [1] , Madagascar (Ramahefarisoa et al 2010) [18] . In the present study lower seroprevalence rate of porcine cysticercosis was recorded which might be due to improved rearing pattern of animals, applying hygienic practices in pig farming, raising of pigs in confinement, prevention of pigs having access to human faeces and periodic deworming of the animals.…”

Seroprevalence and risk factors of porcine cysticercosis: A cross-sectional study in Indonesia

“…The prevalence of cysticercosis is inextricably linked to several risk factors that drive the transmission of cysticercosis. Some of the risk factors related to the prevalence of cysticercosis that have been reported are the farming system [25], the level of public sanitation [26], unhygienic feed given to livestock [27],…”