Neurocysticercosis : a possible cause of epileptiform seizures in people residing in villages served by the Bethanie clinic in the North West Province of South Africa

A study to detect human taeniasis and cysticercosis was conducted in 4 village communities served by the Bethanie clinic in the North West Province, based on reports of people being diagnosed there with epileptiform episodes. Many home owners in the villages rear pigs in small numbers for both meat...

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Main Authors: C.M. Veary, S.N. Manoto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2008-05-01
Series:Journal of the South African Veterinary Association
Subjects:
Online Access:https://jsava.co.za/index.php/jsava/article/view/249
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spelling doaj-f9ddb4b6faa14c2d9d44b017db07dcdf2020-11-24T20:50:18ZengAOSISJournal of the South African Veterinary Association1019-91282224-94352008-05-01792848810.4102/jsava.v79i2.249204Neurocysticercosis : a possible cause of epileptiform seizures in people residing in villages served by the Bethanie clinic in the North West Province of South AfricaC.M. VearyS.N. ManotoA study to detect human taeniasis and cysticercosis was conducted in 4 village communities served by the Bethanie clinic in the North West Province, based on reports of people being diagnosed there with epileptiform episodes. Many home owners in the villages rear pigs in small numbers for both meat availability and an immediate income from live pig or pig meat sales. The primary aim of the work was to conduct in the study area a census of all small scale pig producers and a survey of rural village consumers, both by means of a structured questionnaire. The former reviewed pig husbandry practices, slaughter and marketing of pigs and the latter provided information on pork consumption, sanitation as well as people's basic knowledge of Taenia solium. Stool samples from consenting participants were screened by a contracted approved laboratory for T. solium. A descriptive analysis of retrospective data was conducted at the Bethanie clinic to determine the proportional morbidity of neurocysticercosis from the medical records of patients diagnosed with seizures in an attempt to establish possible sources of infection and routes of transmission. In addition, the total pig population in the study area was determined more accurately and the prevalence of cysticercosis investigated in pigs subjected to meat inspection at an approved abattoir. The questionnaires revealed a poor understanding of the disease, poor sanitation and hygiene, poor methods of pig husbandry and poor meat inspection and control in rural smallholder communities. There was no significant statistical difference in the proportion of households reporting evidence of epilepsy and owning pigs and those that did not. There is a strong evidence of a tendency towards an association between epilepsy, consumption habits and some identified epidemiological risk factors.https://jsava.co.za/index.php/jsava/article/view/249Structured Questionnaire Survey/CensusTaenia SoliumCysticercosisTaeniasisEpidemiological Risk FactorsNorth West ProvinceSouth Africa
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author C.M. Veary
S.N. Manoto
spellingShingle C.M. Veary
S.N. Manoto
Neurocysticercosis : a possible cause of epileptiform seizures in people residing in villages served by the Bethanie clinic in the North West Province of South Africa
Journal of the South African Veterinary Association
Structured Questionnaire Survey/Census
Taenia Solium
Cysticercosis
Taeniasis
Epidemiological Risk Factors
North West Province
South Africa
author_facet C.M. Veary
S.N. Manoto
author_sort C.M. Veary
title Neurocysticercosis : a possible cause of epileptiform seizures in people residing in villages served by the Bethanie clinic in the North West Province of South Africa
title_short Neurocysticercosis : a possible cause of epileptiform seizures in people residing in villages served by the Bethanie clinic in the North West Province of South Africa
title_full Neurocysticercosis : a possible cause of epileptiform seizures in people residing in villages served by the Bethanie clinic in the North West Province of South Africa
title_fullStr Neurocysticercosis : a possible cause of epileptiform seizures in people residing in villages served by the Bethanie clinic in the North West Province of South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Neurocysticercosis : a possible cause of epileptiform seizures in people residing in villages served by the Bethanie clinic in the North West Province of South Africa
title_sort neurocysticercosis : a possible cause of epileptiform seizures in people residing in villages served by the bethanie clinic in the north west province of south africa
publisher AOSIS
series Journal of the South African Veterinary Association
issn 1019-9128
2224-9435
publishDate 2008-05-01
description A study to detect human taeniasis and cysticercosis was conducted in 4 village communities served by the Bethanie clinic in the North West Province, based on reports of people being diagnosed there with epileptiform episodes. Many home owners in the villages rear pigs in small numbers for both meat availability and an immediate income from live pig or pig meat sales. The primary aim of the work was to conduct in the study area a census of all small scale pig producers and a survey of rural village consumers, both by means of a structured questionnaire. The former reviewed pig husbandry practices, slaughter and marketing of pigs and the latter provided information on pork consumption, sanitation as well as people's basic knowledge of Taenia solium. Stool samples from consenting participants were screened by a contracted approved laboratory for T. solium. A descriptive analysis of retrospective data was conducted at the Bethanie clinic to determine the proportional morbidity of neurocysticercosis from the medical records of patients diagnosed with seizures in an attempt to establish possible sources of infection and routes of transmission. In addition, the total pig population in the study area was determined more accurately and the prevalence of cysticercosis investigated in pigs subjected to meat inspection at an approved abattoir. The questionnaires revealed a poor understanding of the disease, poor sanitation and hygiene, poor methods of pig husbandry and poor meat inspection and control in rural smallholder communities. There was no significant statistical difference in the proportion of households reporting evidence of epilepsy and owning pigs and those that did not. There is a strong evidence of a tendency towards an association between epilepsy, consumption habits and some identified epidemiological risk factors.
topic Structured Questionnaire Survey/Census
Taenia Solium
Cysticercosis
Taeniasis
Epidemiological Risk Factors
North West Province
South Africa
url https://jsava.co.za/index.php/jsava/article/view/249
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AT snmanoto neurocysticercosisapossiblecauseofepileptiformseizuresinpeopleresidinginvillagesservedbythebethanieclinicinthenorthwestprovinceofsouthafrica
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