Control of neurocysticercosis by routine medical and veterinary services

• Published in: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Vol. 102; no. 3; pp. 228 - 232
• Main Author: Pawlowski, Zbigniew S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2008; Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Chemotherapy; Control; Cysticercosis; Diseases caused by cestodes; Food Parasitology - standards; Health Planning Guidelines; Helminthic diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Meat - parasitology; Medical sciences; Neurocysticercosis; Neurocysticercosis - prevention & control; Neurocysticercosis - transmission; Neurocysticercosis - veterinary; Parasitic diseases; Sanitation; Swine; Swine Diseases - prevention & control; Swine Diseases - transmission; Taenia solium; Taeniases; Taeniasis; Veterinary services; Taeniasis; Control; Chemotherapy; Neurocysticercosis; Taenia solium; Veterinary services; Human; Cysticercosis; Central nervous system; Plathelmintha; Teniasis; Parasitosis; Cestoda; Veterinary medicine; Helminthiasis; Cestode disease; Infection; Treatment; Surveillance; Helmintha; Digestive diseases; Invertebrata; Public health
• ISSN: 0035-9203; 1878-3503
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2007.10.007

Taenia solium neurocysticercosis and ocular cysticercosis are two of the most devastating parasitic infections, which need to be controlled for medical and economic reasons. This paper discusses why control measures are not implemented adequately in endemic areas and proposes simple operational interventions, based on focus-oriented chemotherapy of T. solium taeniasis using existing health care infrastructure and improved collaboration between medical and veterinary services. These interventions can be quickly and easily implemented (irrespective of other applicable control measures), with medical and veterinary staff being adequately trained, and safe, effective and cheap taenicides made available.