TY - JOUR
T1 - Taenia solium infection in Peru
T2 - A collaboration between Peace Corps Volunteers and researchers in a community based study
AU - Watts, Nathaniel S.
AU - Pajuelo, Monica
AU - Clark, Taryn
AU - Loader, Maria Cristina I.
AU - Verastegui, Manuela R.
AU - Sterling, Charles
AU - Friedland, Jon S.
AU - Garcia, Hector H.
AU - Gilman, Robert H.
N1 - Funding Information:
We are grateful to all the communities involved in this study and for support from Sanjay Mathur, Emilia Villanueva, Maria Elena Samplonius, Emily Rose Topalanchik, Andrea Doggett, and all PCVs involved in the project (Amanda McCullough, Jessica R. Gyourko, Hayden Mulligan, Eleanor Thompson, Michelle Polansky, Lauralee J. Woods, Katherine Murray, and Alison Clune). Additional support from CW, Catherine Anne Amutan, Cueva Marinas and Manuel Jesús from the Institucion de Investigacion y Capacitacion (IINCAP), Celia Luisa Espinoza, Fredy Ccopa Aguilar, and Angelica Ramirez Moreno is appreciated. The authors are grateful for the technical expertise of JB PHU and D. Sara. Dr. Jon S. Friedland is grateful for support from the Imperial College Biomedical Research Centre.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Watts et al.
PY - 2014/12/3
Y1 - 2014/12/3
N2 - Background: Neurocysticercosis is a leading cause of seizures and epilepsy in most of the world, and it occurs when Taenia solium larval cysts infect the central nervous system. T. solium tapeworm infection is endemic in much of Peru, but there are scarce data on the prevalence in many rural highland communities where it is likely to be hyper-endemic. Peace Corps Volunteers live and work in these communities; however, to our knowledge, they have not been used to facilitate public health research.Materials and Methods: We utilized Peace Corps Volunteers to estimate the prevalence of T. solium tapeworm infection in seven rural communities in northern Peru. A convenience non-random sampling frame was used. Peace Corps Volunteers facilitated the collection of stool samples (N52,328), which were analyzed by sedimentation and microscopy. Niclosamide treatment and purgation preceded species identification, which was done by PCR-REA.Results: Taenia sp. egg-positive stool samples were found in three of the seven communities we surveyed. The overall prevalence of Taenia sp. egg positivity was 2.1% (49/2,328) (95% CI51.6-2.8%) with prevalence up to 4.3% (42/977) (95% CI53.1-5.8%) by community. All 34 of the specimens tested by PCR-REA were T. solium. The overall prevalence of T. solium tapeworm infection was 1.5% (34/2,328) (95% CI51.0-2.0%). Prevalence up to 2.9% (28/977) (95% CI51.9-4.1%) by community was observed.Conclusion/Significance: This study recorded high T. solium tapeworm prevalence, and identified hyper-endemic rural communities. It demonstrates that synergy between researchers and Peace Corps Volunteers can be an effective means to conducting large-scale, community-based studies in remote areas of Peru.
AB - Background: Neurocysticercosis is a leading cause of seizures and epilepsy in most of the world, and it occurs when Taenia solium larval cysts infect the central nervous system. T. solium tapeworm infection is endemic in much of Peru, but there are scarce data on the prevalence in many rural highland communities where it is likely to be hyper-endemic. Peace Corps Volunteers live and work in these communities; however, to our knowledge, they have not been used to facilitate public health research.Materials and Methods: We utilized Peace Corps Volunteers to estimate the prevalence of T. solium tapeworm infection in seven rural communities in northern Peru. A convenience non-random sampling frame was used. Peace Corps Volunteers facilitated the collection of stool samples (N52,328), which were analyzed by sedimentation and microscopy. Niclosamide treatment and purgation preceded species identification, which was done by PCR-REA.Results: Taenia sp. egg-positive stool samples were found in three of the seven communities we surveyed. The overall prevalence of Taenia sp. egg positivity was 2.1% (49/2,328) (95% CI51.6-2.8%) with prevalence up to 4.3% (42/977) (95% CI53.1-5.8%) by community. All 34 of the specimens tested by PCR-REA were T. solium. The overall prevalence of T. solium tapeworm infection was 1.5% (34/2,328) (95% CI51.0-2.0%). Prevalence up to 2.9% (28/977) (95% CI51.9-4.1%) by community was observed.Conclusion/Significance: This study recorded high T. solium tapeworm prevalence, and identified hyper-endemic rural communities. It demonstrates that synergy between researchers and Peace Corps Volunteers can be an effective means to conducting large-scale, community-based studies in remote areas of Peru.
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U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0113239
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0113239
M3 - Article
C2 - 25469506
AN - SCOPUS:84915770346
SN - 1932-6203
VL - 9
JO - PLoS One
JF - PLoS One
IS - 12
M1 - e113239
ER -