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The epidemiology of human Taenia solium infections: A systematic review of the distribution in Eastern and Southern Africa

Zulu G, Stelzle D, Mwape KE, Welte TM, Strømme H, Mubanga C, Mutale W, Abraham A, Hachangu A, Schmidt V, Sikasunge CS, Phiri IK, Winkler AS (2023)

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Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

Book Volume: 17

Article Number: e0011042

Journal Issue: 3

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011042

Abstract

Background Taenia solium is a tapeworm that causes taeniosis in humans and cysticercosis in humans and pigs. Within Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA), information on the presence of human taeniosis and cysticercosis seems scarce. This systematic review aimed to describe the current information available and gaps in the epidemiology of human T. solium infections in ESA. Methods/Principle findings Scientific literature published between 1^st January 2000 and 20^th June 2022 in international databases [MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Global Health (Ovid), Scopus (Elsevier), African Index Medicus (via WHO Global Index Medicus), and Open Grey] was systematically reviewed for ESA. The study area included 27 countries that make up the ESA region. Information on either taeniosis, cysticercosis or NCC was available for 16 of 27 countries within the region and a total of 113 reports were retained for the review. Most case reports for cysti-cercosis and NCC were from South Africa, while Tanzania had the most aggregated cysti-cercosis reports. Eleven countries reported on NCC with seven countries reporting data on NCC and epilepsy. Unconfirmed human T. solium taeniosis cases were reported in nine countries while two countries (Madagascar and Zambia) reported confirmed T. solium cases. The cysticercosis seroprevalence ranged between 0.7–40.8% on antigen (Ag) ELISA and between 13.1–45.3% on antibody (Ab) ELISA. Based on immunoblot tests the Ab seroprevalence was between 1.7–39.3%, while the proportion of NCC-suggestive lesions on brain CT scans was between 1.0–76% depending on the study population. The human taeniosis prevalence based on microscopy ranged between 0.1–14.7%. Based on Copro Ag-ELISA studies conducted in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia, the highest prevalence of 19.7% was reported in Kenya. Conclusions Despite the public health and economic impact of T. solium in ESA, there are still large gaps in knowledge about the occurrence of the parasite, and the resulting One Health disease complex, and monitoring of T. solium taeniosis and cysticercosis is mostly not in place.

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How to cite

APA:

Zulu, G., Stelzle, D., Mwape, K.E., Welte, T.M., Strømme, H., Mubanga, C.,... Winkler, A.S. (2023). The epidemiology of human Taenia solium infections: A systematic review of the distribution in Eastern and Southern Africa. Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases, 17(3). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0011042

MLA:

Zulu, Gideon, et al. "The epidemiology of human Taenia solium infections: A systematic review of the distribution in Eastern and Southern Africa." Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases 17.3 (2023).

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