Title
Seroprevalence of antibodies against Taenia solium cysticerci among refugees resettled in United States
Date Issued
01 March 2012
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Abstract
Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a disease caused by central nervous system infection by the larval stage of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. In developing countries, NCC is a leading cause of adult-onset epilepsy. Case reports of NCC are increasing among refugees resettled to the United States and other nations, but the underlying prevalence among refugee groups is unknown. We tested stored serum samples from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Migrant Serum Bank for antibodies against T. solium cysts by using the enzymelinked immunoelectrotransfer blot. Seroprevalence was high among all 4 populations tested: refugees from Burma (23.2%), Lao People's Democratic Republic (18.3%), Bhutan (22.8%), and Burundi (25.8%). Clinicians caring for refugee populations should suspect NCC in patients with seizure, chronic headache, or unexplained neurologic manifestations. Improved understanding of the prevalence of epilepsy and other associated diseases among refugees could guide recommendations for their evaluation and treatment before, during, and after resettlement.
Start page
431
End page
438
Volume
18
Issue
3
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Parasitología
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-84863229417
PubMed ID
Source
Emerging Infectious Diseases
ISSN of the container
10806040
Sponsor(s)
Fogarty International Center D43TW001140, R24TW007988
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus