Taeniasis-cysticercosis in Honduras

Abstract

Data on human taeniasis and human and animal cysticercosis from Honduras were gathered from laboratory, medical and slaughterhouse records, proglottid identification and surveys. The infection rate for human taeniasis was 2·7 1000 individuals at the University Hospital, 10 1000 in the southern provinces of Choluteca and Valle, and 0·6 1000 in Cortes and Atlantida in the north. In surveys, the rates found ranged from 14 to 62 1000 in 9 of 15 communities studied. Taenia solium was identified in 135 of 181 individuals (74·5%) who submitted proglottids for speciation, 23 of whom were children 0–5 years old. The male:female ratio of infection rate was 1:2. The rates of infection with cysticercosis in pigs and cattle at one abattoir in 1981–1986 were 5% and 0·05% respectively. Diagnosis of human cysticercosis at the University Hospital increased five-fold with the introduction of computerized tomography and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay: 22 cases were diagnosed in 1980–1984 and 107 cases in 1985–1988. Rates at the neurosurgical ward were higher ( 29 1000 patients) than in the general hospital census ( 1·6 1000 patients). Taeniasis-cysticercosis may be a serious health problem in some areas of Honduras.