FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH TAENIA-SOLIUM CYSTICERCOSIS - ANALYSIS OF 946PERUVIAN NEUROLOGIC PATIENTS

In most developing countries, 10% of acute neurologic cases are patien ts with neurocysticercosis (NCC). Determining specific factors associa ted with contracting NCC will facilitate its diagnosis and prevention. We examined multiple socioeconomic, demographic, environmental, medic al, and behavioral characteristics of 946 Peruvian neurologic patients for a correlation with NCC, which was diagnosed by the highly specifi c and sensitive electroimmunotransfer blot (EITB) or immunoblot assay. Eighteen percent (172 of 932) of serum samples and 28% (101 of 362) o f cerebrospinal fluid samples were EITB-positive. The proportion of EI TB-positive persons was similar for all socioeconomic levels. Signific ant factors associated with NCC were: 1) being born outside Lima, 2) h aving raised pigs, 3) more than 20 years of age, 4) a history of seizu res, and 5) a history of taeniasis. Of these factors, raising pigs is the only one that is amenable to intervention, via improvements in ani mal husbandry.