Diagnostic methods and epidemiologic surveillance of Taenia solium infection

Taeniasis and cysticercosis caused by Taenia solium, the pork tapeworm, are widespread infections of Latin America, Africa, and Asia. The disease in humans (neurocysticercosis), caused by the cystic larval stages which develop in the central nervous system, is often disabling and sometimes fatal. T. solium infections are endemic in rural and urban areas in some countries that have limited resources to introduce and sustain control programs. To give T. solium control high national priority, the effect of the diseases on health and social care budgets must be accurately measured. Surveys are needed to establish prevalence and geographical distribution of the diseases, to obtain basic epidemiologic data, to learn about transmission, to provide baseline data for the establishment of control measures, and to monitor control measures. Continuing surveys can provide information on changes in prevalence brought about by specific control measures or by changes in the standard of living, education, animal husbandry, and meat processing. Data are not yet available for any endemic-cysticercosis area, and this has hindered efforts to control the disease. There are technical limitations of currently-available methods for diagnosing both taeniasis and cysticercosis in humans in and lower animal hosts. This paper reviews the status and limitations of diagnostic methods and emphasizes the need for further research.