Abstract
BackgroundThe cestode Taenia solium causes the neglected (zoonotic) tropical disease cysticercosis, a leading cause of preventable epilepsy in endemic low and middle-income countries. Transmission models can inform current scaling-up of control efforts by helping to identify, validate and optimise control and elimination strategies as proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO).Methodology/Principal findingsA systematic literature search was conducted using the PRISMA approach to identify and compare existing T. solium transmission models, and related Taeniidae infection transmission models. In total, 28 modelling papers were identified, of which four modelled T. solium exclusively. Different modelling approaches for T. solium included deterministic, Reed-Frost, individual-based, decision-tree, and conceptual frameworks. Simulated interventions across models agreed on the importance of coverage for impactful effectiveness to be achieved.Other Taeniidae infection transmission models comprised force-of-infection (FoI), population-based (mainly Echinococcus granulosus) and individual-based (mainly E. multilocularis) modelling approaches. Spatial structure has also been incorporated (E. multilocularis and Taenia ovis) in recognition of spatial aggregation of parasite eggs in the environment and movement of wild animal host populations.Conclusions/SignificanceGaps identified from examining the wider Taeniidae family models highlighted the potential role of FoI modelling to inform model parameterisation, as well as the need for spatial modelling and suitable structuring of interventions as key areas for future T. solium model development. We conclude that working with field partners to address data gaps and conducting cross-model validation with baseline and longitudinal data will be critical to building consensus-led and epidemiological setting-appropriate intervention strategies to help fulfil the WHO targets.
Highlights
Infection by the cestode Taenia solium contributes to a significant and underreported public health and economic burden in low and middle-income countries [1, 2]
The World Health Organization has called for validated strategies and wider consensus on which strategies are suitable for different epidemiological settings to support successful T. solium control and elimination efforts
A modelling review was undertaken to assess the current state and gaps relating to T. solium epidemiological modelling
Summary
Infection by the cestode Taenia solium contributes to a significant and underreported public health and economic burden in low and middle-income countries [1, 2]. Humans become definitive hosts when consumption of raw or undercooked cyst-infected pork leads to the tapeworm infection taeniasis ( referred as taeniosis as per Kassai et al [5]). Humans can act as accidental intermediate hosts when T. solium eggs are ingested. In this instance, migration of the larval stage of T. solium to the central nervous system can result in neurocysticercosis (NCC) [6]. The cestode Taenia solium causes the neglected (zoonotic) tropical disease cysticercosis, a leading cause of preventable epilepsy in endemic low and middle-income countries. Transmission models can inform current scaling-up of control efforts by helping to identify, validate and optimise control and elimination strategies as proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO)
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