Prevalence of Porcine Cysticercosis in Mayo-Danay (North Cameroon) and Mayo-Kebbi (Southwest Chad)

Abstract

A study was conducted from May to October 1999 in the Mayo-Danay Department (far north of Cameroon) and Mayo- Kebbi District (southwest of Chad) to determine the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis and identify its main contributing factors. Hygienic conditions, where the population lived and pigs were reared, were very poor and contributed to heavy porcine infections by Taenia solium cysticerci. Out of 126 households visited, 42% did not have latrines. Pigs roaming freely or semi-freely were thus exposed to human feces laid around the habitations. The tongue inspection method to establish a clinical diagnosis showed that 20.5% of the 852 pigs harbored cysticerci. Carcass inspection at local slaughterhouses revealed that 15.7% of the 51 slaughtered pigs were infected. Out of 264 pig sera tested by ELISA for cysticercus circulating antigen detection, 105 (39.8%) were positive. The results showed that Mayo-Danay and Mayo-Kebbi were major foci of Taenia solium porcine cysticercosis.