Seroprevalence of Taenia solium infections in Croatian patients presenting with epilepsy

Znanstveni rad - Izvorni znanstveni rad

• Autor: Tomislav Meštrović
• Autor: Mario Sviben
• Autor: Tatjana Vilibić-Čavlek
• Autor: Sunčanica Ljubin-Sternak
• Autor: Irena Tabain
• Autor: Gordana Mlinarić-Galinović
• Autorova ustanova: Sveučilište u Zagrebu; Medicinski fakultet
• Znanstveno / umjetničko područje, polje i grana: BIOMEDICINA I ZDRAVSTVO; Kliničke medicinske znanosti

Sažetak (engleski)

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, while neurocysticercosis caused by Taenia solium infection of the central nervous system currently represents the leading cause of secondary epilepsy in Central and South America, East and South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. As a result of increased migration from these endemic regions, neurocysticercosis and subsequent epilepsy are becoming a growing public health problem in developed countries as well. In order to determine the prevalence of T. solium infection in patients with epilepsy in Croatia, a retrospective serological study was conducted. A total of 770 serum samples were tested for the presence of T. solium IgG antibodies using a commercial qualitative enzyme immunoassay. The Western blot technique was used as a confirmatory test for the diagnosis. The overall seroprevalence rate of T. solium infection in patients with clinically proven epilepsy was 1.5%. Although the results have shown that infection with this tapeworm is rare in Croatia, this study hopes to increase awareness about the importance of preventive measures and benefits of accurate and timely diagnosis. Intervention measures for infection control are crucial, namely sanitation improvement, control of domestic pig-breeding, detailed meat inspection, detection and treatment of tapeworm carriers, hand washing and health education.

• Ključne riječi (engleski): Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Animals; Antibodies, Helminth / blood; Blotting, Western; Chi-Square Distribution; Child; Child, Preschool; Croatia / epidemiology; Cysticercosis / complications; Cysticercosis / epidemiology; Cysticercosis / immunology; Epilepsy / epidemiology; Epilepsy / parasitology; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Taenia solium / isolation & purification; Young Adult
• Jezik: engleski
• Vrsta publikacije: Znanstveni rad - Izvorni znanstveni rad
• Status objave: Objavljen
• Vrsta recenzije: Recenziran
• Verzija publikacije: Završna verzija rukopisa prihvaćena za objavljivanje (postprint)
• Naslov časopisa: Journal of Helminthology
• Brojčani podaci: vol. 86, br. 3, str. 259-262
• p-ISSN: 0022-149X
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022149X11000253
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:105:331746
• Datum objave publikacije: 2012-09
• URL dokumenta: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022149X11000253
• Vrsta resursa: Tekst
• Prava pristupa: Otvoreni pristup
• Datum i vrijeme pohrane: 2024-03-27 19:36:15