Seizure commonly associated with Neurocysticercosis are not linked with pork meat diet. A retrospective analysis

Abstract

Background: Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a neglected tropical disease and common cause epilepsy in developing countries.
 Aims and Objectives:The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of NCC and factor associated with the cause of NCC in Nepalese patients.
 Material and Methods: All patient with complain of seizure admitted to the College of Medical Sciences, and Teaching Hospital (COMS-TH), Nepal for a period of 2016 were included in the study. All age group patients between 10-80 years old with confirmed diagnosed of NCC were considered for the retrospective analysis. The proportion distribution of NCC was categorized based on the etiology of seizures, demographic profile (gender and age) and dietary habit of patients.
 Results: Among 142 patients with seizure, 54(38%) were computerized tomography (CT) scan confirmed NCC cases in which 29 (53.7) were male, and 25 (46.3%) were female. Almost 44 (81.5%) patients with NCC were below the age of 50 years, and high prevalence (31.5%) was observed at the age of 10-20 years old patients. All patients depend on the agricultural background, in which 35 (65%) were farmer and 19 (35%) with an agricultural background. Most of the patients lacked good hygienic habits. Additionally, 10 (18.5%) patients with NCC were vegetarian, 44 (81.5%) were non-vegetarian. Among non-vegetarian, only 2 (3.7%) were pork eaters. Most of the patients had poor hygienic habits and eating raw vegetables. All patients were managed with the single antiepileptic drug but, Albendazole plus steroid therapy was added in patients with active lesion observed in CT scan.
 Conclusions:This study showed a high prevalence of NCC and a common cause of the new onset of seizures in the patient of COMS-TH, Nepal. Also, our data showed that NCC is not associated with pork eaters because NCC was observed more number in vegetarian compared to patients who consume pork meat diet.

Cysticercosis in Nepal: A Review

“…Cysticercosis and neurocysticercosis usually have a good prognosis in parenchymal form but the prognosis for the extra parenchymal form is not favorable when patients have arachnoiditis, arteritis, and hydrocephalus. The majority of patients had a good prognosis after treatment among different cases of different hospitals in Nepal (Basu et al, 2007;Khanal and Shrestha, 2019).…”

“…Male is more prone to infection with NCC than female because of their working nature (pig farmer, butcher, field worker) and personal hygiene. Female is more likely to be hygienic than male, this may be a cause of less prevalence of NCC in most of the cases in Nepal.For 2016, 142 patients with seizures were admitted to the College of Medical Sciences, and Teaching Hospital (COMS-TH), Nepal, 54 (38%) were CT scan confirmed Neurocysticercosis cases(Khanal and Shrestha, 2019). Among NCC cases, 29 (54%) were male, and 25 (46%) were female, and 17 (31.5%) patients were 10-20 years old.…”

“…Among NCC cases, 29 (54%) were male, and 25 (46%) were female, and 17 (31.5%) patients were 10-20 years old. All patients were related to agriculture and farming and 10 (18.5%) patients were vegetarian(Khanal and Shrestha, 2019). Personal hygiene and sanitation of farmers is an equally important risk factor as pork consuming behavior of a person.…”