Abstract

BackgroundTaenia solium cysticercosis is a parasitic meat-borne disease that is highly prevalent in pigs and humans in Africa, but the burden is vastly underestimated due to the lack of official control along the pork commodity chain, which hampers long-term control policies.MethodsThe apparent and corrected prevalences of T. solium cysticercosis were investigated in pork carcasses slaughtered and retailed in Antananarivo (Madagascar), thanks to a 12-month monitoring plan in two urban abattoirs.ResultsOverall apparent prevalence was estimated at 4.6 % [4.2 – 5.0 %]. The corrected overall prevalence defined as the estimated prevalence after accounting for the sensitivity of meat inspection was 21.03 % [19.18- 22.87 %]. Significant differences among geoclimatic regions were observed only for indigenous pigs, with an apparent prevalence estimated at 7.9 % [6.0 – 9.9 %] in the northern and western regions, 7.3 % [6.0 – 8.6 %] in the central region, and 6.2 % [4.7 – 7.8 %] in the southern region. In the central region, where both exotic and indigenous pigs were surveyed, indigenous pigs were 8.5 times [6.7 – 10.7] more likely to be infected than exotic improved pigs. Urban consumers were more likely to encounter cysticercosis in pork in the rainy season, which is a major at risk period, in particular in December. Differences between abattoirs were also identified.ConclusionOur results underline the need for improved surveillance and control programmes to limit T. solium cysticercosis in carcasses by introducing a risk-based meat inspection procedure that accounts for the origin and breed of the pigs, and the season.

Highlights

  • Taenia solium cysticercosis is a parasitic meat-borne disease that is highly prevalent in pigs and humans in Africa, but the burden is vastly underestimated due to the lack of official control along the pork commodity chain, which hampers long-term control policies

  • The aim of this study was to estimate the overall prevalence of T. solium cysticercosis in the swine population in the main pig production areas of Madagascar, and to investigate the main parameters associated with cysticercosis infection in pig carcasses in two urban abattoirs in Antananarivo, the capital

  • Descriptive results From March 2013 to February 2014, a total of 68,432 pigs were slaughtered in the two abattoirs we surveyed, Anosizato (n = 59,765 carcasses, Abattoir #1) and Ankadintratombo (n = 8667, Abattoir #2), in Antananarivo city, central Madagascar

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Summary

Introduction

Taenia solium cysticercosis is a parasitic meat-borne disease that is highly prevalent in pigs and humans in Africa, but the burden is vastly underestimated due to the lack of official control along the pork commodity chain, which hampers long-term control policies. The pork tapeworm Taenia solium continues to be a major cause of epilepsy in Africa and represents a heavy burden for the pork value chain. After ingesting the parasite’s eggs, pigs become infected and larvae form cysts in muscle tissue of the host (porcine cysticercosis); people who eat contaminated pork will harbor an adult tapeworm in their intestine. The tapeworm produces few or no symptoms (taeniasis), but when it expels its reproductive segments in human faeces, infective eggs are disseminated into the environment and/. Studies carried out in Madagascar between 1994 and 1999 reported an antibody seroprevalence to human cysticercosis ranging from 7 % to 20 % [3] with the highest levels recorded in the central highlands and less than 10 % in coastal areas [4].

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