Seroprevalence of cysticercosis in Benin

We report the results of a seroepidemiological study on the prevalence of c ysticercosis in Benin. Cluster sampling at 3 levels was performed in the 6 departements (Atacora, Borgou, Zou, Mono, Atlantique and Oueme) and 2625 se rum samples, from 1329 adult females and 1296 adult males, were collected. Antibodies against Taenia solium cysticerci were first searched for by enzy me-linked immunosorbent assay and the 41 seropositive samples were then exa mined by enzyme-linked electroimmunotransfer blot assay (EI-TB). Thirty-fiv e samples gave positive results in the EITB. The overall seroprevalence of cysticercosis was therefore 1.3% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.9-1.9) . The seroprevalence was 1.9% in males (95% CI 1.2-2.7) and 0.8% (95% CI 0. 4-1.5) in females (P<0.05). A progressive increase in seroprevalence with i ncreasing age was found. The highest seroprevalences were observed in Ataco ra and Atlantique, 2 non-Muslim departements (3.3% and 3.0%, respectively). This study demonstrated the public health importance of cysticercosis in B enin.