An Important Focus of Porcine and Human Cysticercosis in West Cameroon

Since there were several indications that T. solium Cysticercus is is an important zoonosis in the Menoua region (West Cameroon), a more detailed study was carried out to get a better idea of the prevalence of the parasite in pigs and men from this area.

Abstract

Since there were several indications that T. solium Cysticercus is is an important zoonosis in the Menoua region (West Cameroon), a more detailed study was carried out to get a better idea of the prevalence of the parasite in pigs and men from this area. Ante mortem inspection of about 600 pigs on several local markets showed that 24.6% harboured cysticerci. By classical meat inspection of 151 pigs, taken at random at 5 different slaughterhouses in the region, 19.9% of the pigs were found positive. Using Elisa, however, antibodies against T. solium metacestodes were shown at least in 38% of these pigs. A sero-epidemiological survey of 764 human serum samples, taken from apparently healthy people at different villages in the region, showed that 15.1% reacted positively in Elisa with a T.crassiceps metacestode antigen. After absorption of these sera to eliminate cross-reactions with filariasis and echinococcosis and comparative evaluation of the reactions with different other parasite antigens, al least 2.4% of the samples still remained positive for cysticercosis. These high levels of infection as well in men as in pigs prove that the Menoua region is an important focus of T.solium cysticercosis.