| Title: |
Could a ring treatment approach be proposed to control Taenia solium transmission in a post elimination setting? A pilot study in Zambia. |
| Authors: |
Trevisan, Chiara, Mwape, Kabemba E., Van Damme, Inge, Saelens, Ganna, Mubanga, Chishimba, Chembensofu, Mwelwa, Masuku, Maxwell, O'Neal, Seth, Zulu, Gideon, Dorny, Pierre, Gabriël, Sarah |
| Source: |
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases; 8/7/2024, Vol. 18 Issue 8, p1-10, 10p |
| Subject Terms: |
TAENIA solium, CYSTICERCOSIS, SWINE, SEROCONVERSION, PILOT projects, NEUROCYSTICERCOSIS |
| Abstract: |
Background: Geographically targeted Taenia solium ring approaches consisting of treating individuals within a radius of 100-meter of a cysticercosis positive pig have been trialled in Peru. This study explored if a similar approach could be proposed to control T. solium transmission in a post elimination setting in Zambia, focussing on community members' willingness to be sampled and treated. Methodology and Principal findings: The study was conducted in a community where elimination of active T. solium transmission was achieved. All eligible pigs and people were sampled, at 4- to 6-monthly intervals, followed by implementation of the ring treatment approach. This implied that whenever a pig was seropositive for cysticercosis during sampling, every human and pig residing in a radius of 50-meters of the seropositive pig would be treated. The results of the positive human stool samples were used to create the rings, whenever no pigs were positive. From June 2018 to October 2019, four samplings, followed by ring treatments were conducted. Between 84% and 91% of the willing people provided a stool sample, covering 46% to 59% of the total population living in the study area. Between 78% and 100% of the eligible pigs got sampled. Three ring treatments were based on porcine seropositivity and one on taeniosis results. Two to four rings were opened per sampling. During the ring treatments, between 89% and 100% of the eligible human and pig population living within a ring was treated. Conclusions: Participants were willing to participate and get treatment, once the rings were opened. However, the utility of ring treatment approaches in a post elimination setting needs further evaluation, given the lack of highly accurate diagnostic tools for porcine cysticercosis and the challenges in obtaining stool samples. The ring treatment approach adopted should be further improved before recommendations to public health authorities can be given. Author summary: In this study, we looked at whether a method used to control the spread of the pork tapeworm, a parasite transmitted between pig and people, in Peru could also work in Zambia. The method involved treating people and pigs living near animals infected with tapewormlarvae. We conducted the study in a community where the spread of the parasite via infected meat had been successfully stopped. Every few months, we sampled pigs and people in the area and treated those who were found to be infected or at risk. If a pig tested positive for the parasite, everyone within 50 meters of that pig was treated. Between June 2018 and October 2019, we did four rounds of sampling and treatment. Most people were willing to provide stool samples, and a large percentage of pigs were sampled as well. During treatment, most eligible people and pigs within the affected area received treatment. The study found that people were willing to participate and get treated once the treatment rings were set up. However, there are challenges with accurately diagnosing the parasite in pigs and getting stool samples from people. Before recommending this method to health authorities, further improvements are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: |
Complementary Index |
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