Community prevalence study of taeniasis and cysticercosis in Bali, Indonesia

Taenia solium, a human cestode parasite endemic throughout most of South-ea st Asia, causes a number of public health and economic problems. The parasi te is endemic in Ball due to a mix of cultural and religious practices. Imm unoepidemiological investigation of three rural communities revealed a taen iasis prevalence of 0.72% (3/415). One of the three cases was due to Taenia solium, the other two to Taenia saginata. A further nine cases of Taenia i nfection were identified from patients from villages surrounding the chosen communities, suggesting that prevalence levels may be higher in other area s. Seroprevalence of human cysticercosis by immunoblot was 1.65% (6/363), t hough all cases were detected within a single community (6/115; prevalence 5.22%). Several other cases of subcutaneous cysticercosis were identified f rom local clinics, suggesting continued transmission of Taenia solium in th e region. Other intestinal helminth parasites identified within the: commun ities were Ascaris lumbricoides (29.9%), Trichuris trichiuria (33.9%) and h ookworm (8.2%).