Neurocysticercosis Prevalence and Characteristics in Communities of Sinda District in Zambia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Zulu G, Stelzle D, Gabriël S, Trevisan C, Van Damme I, Mubanga C, Schmidt V, Ngowi BJ, Welte TM, Magnussen P, Ruether C, Fleury A, Dorny P, Bottieau E, Phiri IK, Mwape KE, Winkler AS (2024)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2024
Journal
DOI: 10.1007/s44197-024-00271-z
Abstract
Background: This study aimed at describing the epidemiology of (neuro)cysticercosis as well as its clinical and radiological characteristics in a Taenia solium endemic district of Zambia. Methods: This was part of a cross-sectional community-based study conducted in Sinda district to evaluate an antibody-detecting T. solium point-of-care (TS POC) test for taeniosis and (neuro)cysticercosis. All TS POC cysticercosis positive (CC+) participants and a subset of the TS POC cysticercosis negative (CC-) received a clinical evaluation and cerebral computed tomography (CT) examination for neurocysticercosis (NCC) diagnosis and staging. Results: Of the 1249 participants with a valid TS POC test result, 177 (14%) were TS POC CC+. Cysticercosis sero-prevalence was estimated to be 20.1% (95% confidence intervals [CI] 14.6–27.0%). In total, 233 participants received a CT examination (151 TS POC CC+, 82 TS POC CC-). Typical NCC lesions were present in 35/151 (23%) TS POC CC+, and in 10/82 (12%) TS POC CC- participants. NCC prevalence was 13.5% (95% CI 8.4–21.1%) in the study population and 38.0% (95% CI 5.2–87.4%) among people reporting epileptic seizures. Participants with NCC were more likely to experience epileptic seizures (OR = 3.98, 95% CI 1.34–11.78, p = 0.01) than those without NCC, although only 7/45 (16%) people with NCC ever experienced epileptic seizures. The number of lesions did not differ by TS POC CC status (median: 3 [IQR 1–6] versus 2.5 [IQR 1–5.3], p = 0.64). Eight (23%) of the 35 TS POC CC+ participants with NCC had active stage lesions; in contrast none of the TS POC CC- participants was diagnosed with active NCC. Conclusion: NCC is common in communities in the Eastern province of Zambia, but a large proportion of people remain asymptomatic.
Involved external institutions
Ministry of Health
Zambia (ZM)
University of Zambia (UNZA)
Zambia (ZM)
Technische Universität München (TUM)
Germany (DE)
National Institute for Medical Research, Tanzania (NIMR)
Tanzania, United Republic of (TZ)
University of Copenhagen
Denmark (DK)
Universiteit Gent (UGent) / Ghent University
Belgium (BE)
National Autonomous University of Mexico / Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
Mexico (MX)
Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp / Prins Leopold Instituut voor Tropische Geneeskunde (ITG)
Belgium (BE)
Zambia (ZM)
University of Zambia (UNZA)
Zambia (ZM)
Technische Universität München (TUM)
Germany (DE)
National Institute for Medical Research, Tanzania (NIMR)
Tanzania, United Republic of (TZ)
University of Copenhagen
Denmark (DK)
Universiteit Gent (UGent) / Ghent University
Belgium (BE)
National Autonomous University of Mexico / Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
Mexico (MX)
Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp / Prins Leopold Instituut voor Tropische Geneeskunde (ITG)
Belgium (BE)
How to cite
APA:
Zulu, G., Stelzle, D., Gabriël, S., Trevisan, C., Van Damme, I., Mubanga, C.,... Winkler, A.S. (2024). Neurocysticercosis Prevalence and Characteristics in Communities of Sinda District in Zambia: A Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44197-024-00271-z
MLA:
Zulu, Gideon, et al. "Neurocysticercosis Prevalence and Characteristics in Communities of Sinda District in Zambia: A Cross-Sectional Study." Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health (2024).
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