Abstract
BackgroundTaenia solium, a parasitic cestode that affects humans and pigs, is the leading cause of preventable epilepsy in the developing world. T. solium eggs are released into the environment through the stool of humans infected with an adult intestinal tapeworm (a condition called taeniasis), and cause cysticercosis when ingested by pigs or other humans. A control strategy to intervene within high-risk foci in endemic communities has been proposed as an alternative to mass antihelminthic treatment. In this ring strategy, antihelminthic treatment is targeted to humans and pigs residing within a 100 meter radius of a pig heavily-infected with cysticercosis. Our aim was to describe the roaming ranges of pigs in this region, and to evaluate whether the 100 meter radius rings encompass areas where risk factors for T. solium transmission, such as open human defecation and dense pig activity, are concentrated.Methodology/Principal FindingsIn this study, we used Global Positioning System (GPS) devices to track pig roaming ranges in two rural villages of northern Peru. We selected 41 pigs from two villages to participate in a 48-hour tracking period. Additionally, we surveyed all households to record the locations of open human defecation areas. We found that pigs spent a median of 82.8% (IQR: 73.5, 94.4) of their time roaming within 100 meters of their homes. The size of home ranges varied significantly by pig age, and 93% of the total time spent interacting with open human defecation areas occurred within 100 meters of pig residences.Conclusions/SignificanceThese results indicate that 100 meter radius rings around heavily-infected pigs adequately capture the average pig’s roaming area (i.e., home range) and represent an area where the great majority of exposure to human feces occurs.
Highlights
Taenia solium, the pork tapeworm, is responsible for taeniasis and cysticercosis in humans
The larval stage of the disease, when they ingest T. solium eggs that have been released into the environment through the feces of an infected human host
We tracked free-ranging pigs with Global Positioning System (GPS) devices, and found that most pigs remained close to their owners’ homes throughout the tracking period, and that the majority of pigs’ interactions with open human feces occurred near their owners’ homes. These findings suggest that 100 meter radius rings around heavilyinfected pigs capture the most likely area of pig infection, and support focused control interventions in areas surrounding heavily-infected pigs
Summary
The pork tapeworm, is responsible for taeniasis and cysticercosis in humans. Neurocysticercosis (NCC), a condition that occurs when T. solium larval cysts infect the human central nervous system (CNS), is the leading cause of preventable epilepsy in the developing world, accounting for 30% of seizure disorders in these countries [2,3,4,5]. T. solium eggs are released into the environment through the stool of humans infected with an adult intestinal tapeworm (a condition called taeniasis), and cause cysticercosis when ingested by pigs or other humans. A control strategy to intervene within high-risk foci in endemic communities has been proposed as an alternative to mass antihelminthic treatment In this ring strategy, antihelminthic treatment is targeted to humans and pigs residing within a 100 meter radius of a pig heavily-infected with cysticercosis. Our aim was to describe the roaming ranges of pigs in this region, and to evaluate whether the 100 meter radius rings encompass areas where risk factors for T. solium transmission, such as open human defecation and dense pig activity, are concentrated
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