Increased prevalence of cysticercosis and taeniasis among professional fried pork vendors and the general population of a village in the Peruvian Highlands

Two different populations in Saylla, a Peruvian village near Cusco, known f or chicharrones, a local pork dish, were surveyed by serology and stool exa mination to determine the prevalence and epidemiologic characteristics of T aenia solium infection. Group I (n = 43), the chicharroneros, were members of families professionally devoted to the making and selling of chicharrone s, and Group II (n = 102)was a sample of the general population of the same village. Unlike people in Group I, general villagers only occasionally pre pare or sell this food product, and then only to their neighbors or relativ es. The prevalence of taeniasis was extremely high (8.6%) for the chicharro neros and 3% for the general villagers. Seroprevalence for cysticercosis by immunoblot was similarly high in both groups (23.3% and 23.8%, respectivel y). Being female, older than 30, and having daily contact with pork were fa ctors strongly associated with a positive serologic result for cysticercosi s in the chicharroneros, whereas males were more frequently seropositive in the general villagers group. Antibody reaction to more antigen bands in im munoblots and neurologic symptoms were more common among the chicharroneros . Also, in the general villagers group, seroprevalence increased with each exposure factor, ranging from 9.4% in individuals who did not raise pigs to 50% in the small subgroup that raised pigs, butchered their own animals, s old pork, and sold chicharrones, suggesting that these activities are relat ed to increased risk for tapeworm or larval infection.