Language
English
Publication Date
11-12-2024
Journal
Pathogens
DOI
10.3390/pathogens13110988
PMID
39599541
PMCID
PMC11597702
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
11-12-2024
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-print
Abstract
Cysticercosis is a parasitic infection and neglected tropical disease caused by Taenia solium, or the pork tapeworm. Cysticercosis with central nervous system involvement, or neurocysticercosis, is a leading cause of chronic headaches and epilepsy in endemic regions, including Latin America and Asia. In the United States, the epidemiology of cysticercosis has not been well described. We conducted a cross-section serosurvey of Mexican-American adults residing along the Texas–Mexico border (Starr County, Texas) and identified an overall seroprevalence of 7.4% (45/605) for cysticercosis. Brain imaging studies conducted on seropositive study participants identified lesions consistent with calcified neurocysticercosis in 2 of the 45 seropositive individuals. Female sex (p = 0.021), employment in healthcare, caregiving, or social service (p = 0.002), and indoor occupation (p < 0.001) were found to be significantly associated with seropositivity. Further study is needed to evaluate the burden of neurocysticercosis and local transmission risk in this community.
Keywords
taeniasis, tropical medicine, cysticercosis, neurocysticercosis, cestode infections
Published Open-Access
yes
Recommended Citation
Duffey, Megan M; O'Connell, Elise M; Jibowu, Morgan; et al., "Seroprevalence and Risk Factors for Cysticercosis in Mexican Americans in Starr County, Texas" (2024). Faculty and Staff Publications. 1681.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/baylor_docs/1681