Resurgence of cases of epileptic seizures and burns associated with cysticercosis in Assologaima, Jayawijaya, Irian Jaya, Indonesia, 1991-95

Historically, neurocysticercosis (NCC) caused by the larval stage, cysticer cus or cysticerci, of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium was recognized in Pan iai District, western Irian Jaya Province, Indonesia, in the early 1970s. I n the 1990s, we observed a rapid increase in the number of cases of epilept ic seizures and burns in Assologaima Sub-District, Jayawijaya District, eas tern Irian Jaya. There were totals of 1120 new cases of burns and 293 new c ases of epileptic seizures during 1991-95 in Assologaima where the number o f inhabitants was 15939. Histopathological examination of resected cysts fr om patients and a pig revealed that they were cysticerci of T. solium. DNA analysis of these cysts revealed that the nucleotide sequences of 391 base- pair fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene wer e exactly the same in those from patients and the pig. Although 3 of 391 ba se-pair fragments might differ from that of T. solium reported previously, there were no differences in the amino-acid sequences. Approximately 67% an d 65% of persons with epileptic seizures and with subcutaneous nodules, res pectively, showed antibody responses highly specific to cysticercosis. Ther efore, most cases of epileptic seizures and burns were considered to be ass ociated with cysticercosis in Irian Jaya.