[Geographical distribution of epilepsy in the world]

Based on more than one hundred epidemiological studies we evaluated the frequency of epileptic seizures and epilepsy itself. Worldwide, there appears to be unequal distribution of disease incidence and prevalence. It seems that the incidence of epilepsy in developing countries would be greater than that in the industrialized world and that the differences in prevalence observed between the developing and the industrialized countries could be epidemiologically significant. Once the methodological biases that might account for these differences have been eliminated, it is probable that the differences in incidence and prevalence could be explained by specific risk factors. Particular regional distribution of the disease would then reflect local risk factors and, therefore represent epidemiological markers of particular regional or endemic infections, hereditary predispositions, early interventions during management of childbirth and childhood development or even the natural course of the disease.