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Published Date: 2011-08-28 13:55:46
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Cysticercosis - Mexico: (ZA)
Archive Number: 20110828.2638

CYSTICERCOSIS - MEXICO: (ZACATECAS)
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Date: Sat 27 Aug 2011
Source: Ntrzacatecas.com [in Spanish, trans. Mod.JG, edited]
http://www.ntrzacatecas.com/noticias/zacatecas/2011/08/25/registran-36-casos-de-parasitosis-en-la-ciudad/

In the past epidemiological week, 36 cases of (intestinal) parasitic
infections [_Taenia solium_] have been detected. These parasites are
acquired through the ingestion of contaminated food or water.

_T. solium_ or "lonely worm" ("solitaria" in Spanish) is a commonly
found parasitic worm. It lives in the human small intestine, its
normal size is 3-4 metres, it is a flat worm, and it is
hermaphroditic.

In the capital city (Mexico City), (intestinal) parasitic diseases are
less common, while in communities outside big cities, children tend to
play on the ground and put their dirty hands in their mouths.
Certainly both worm eggs and amoebae cysts are commonly found on the
ground.

For this reason, Dr Garay-Olvera has recommended that family members,
particularly children, should take anti-parasitic drugs 3-4 times per
year. Also, food must be thoroughly cooked, and people must wash their
hands before meals and after going to the toilet.

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[Infection with _Taenia solium_ eggs usually leads to intestinal
infection only, but the excretion of eggs maintains the infectious
reservoir. Cysticercosis develops when humans eat infected pork meat
which contains _T. solium_ cysts.

In the brain (neurocysticercosis), the organism may cause seizures,
and neurocysticercosis is probably the leading course of epilepsy in
countries where cysticercosis is endemic.

The present report shows that infection with _T. solium_ is common in
Mexico, even though a recent review clearly indicated that the
incidence of neurocysticercosis in Mexico has declined from 1600
reported cases in 1995 to 200 cases in 2010 (Flisser A, Correa D.
Neurocysticercosis may no longer be a public health problem in Mexico.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2010;4:e831
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21200418).

Cysticercosis is included in WHO's Department of Control of Neglected
Tropical Diseases (NTD) in the recently released 1st WHO report on
Neglected Tropical Diseases:
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241564090_eng.pdf.

A new map showing areas of the world at risk for cysticercosis
infection has also been made available
http://gamapserver.who.int/mapLibrary/Files/Maps/Global_cysticercosis_2009.png.

For the HealthMap of the location of this outbreak, see
http://healthmap.org/r/1b2M. - Mod.EP]

See Also