**3. Results**

The search identified 66 studies that reported the prevalence of *T. solium* taeniasis/cysticercosis/neurocysticercosis and epilepsy in West Africa from 1980 to 2019.The study identified porcine cysticercosis in 18 countries, human cysticercosis in 19 countries, taeniasis in 4 countries and epilepsy was reported in 25 countries

**35**

Taenia solium *Cysticercosis in Pigs and Human: A Review of Epidemiological Data…*

(**Tables 1** and **2**). **Figure 1** shows the flow chart of the selection of literature for the informed prevalence estimations of studies included in this review; 8 from Benin (1PC/7HCC/PWE), 11 from Burkina Faso (3PC/8HCC/PWE), 1 from Gambia (PC), 4 from Ghana (2PC/1EP/1TE), 2 from Liberia (PWE), 1 from Mali (PWE), 1 from Mauritania (PWE), 24 from Nigeria (PC10/HCC/PWE14), 3 from Senegal

One epidemiological studies from Benin [20] used carcass inspection to determine the prevalence of porcine inspection and obtained a prevalence of 0.06–0.69% among a total of 118,073, slaughtered pigs. Two studies from Burkina Faso used carcass inspection to determine the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis and obtained a prevalence of 0.22–0.57% in a total of 179,337 pigs [21, 58]. One study used B158/ B60 Ag-ELISA to determine the prevalence of active cysticercosis in pigs and obtained a seroprevalence of 32.5–39.6% among 336 pigs [22]. Two studies from Ghana determined the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis by carcass inspection and obtained the prevalence of 2.31–11.70% [59, 60], among a total of 4181 pigs. A total of 10 studies in Nigeria determined the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis by carcass inspection and obtained a prevalence of 1–20% [23–26, 61–65] among a total population of 12,781 pigs. While one study determined the seroprevalence of porcine cysticercosis and obtained a seroprevalence of 46% IgG antibodies among 115 pigs [66]. A study in Senegal determined the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis by lingual inspection and obtained a prevalence of 0.1–1.0%, while Ag-ELISA gave a

seroprevalence of 4.8% [67]. All the data are presented in **Table 1**.

**3.2 Human cysticercosis, taeniasis and epilepsy in West Africa**

the prevalence of epilepsy with cysticercosis.

Sero-epidemiological studies from 16 countries were selected for the West African region, 3 studies [29] from Benin used Ab-ELISA, skull/muscle X-ray and pathology of cysts and a study used both Ab-ELISA and EITB [30]. The total number of individuals sampled for serological testing in this region was 4387. Prevalence of circulating antibodies ranged from 1 to 4%. Detailed description of each study is given in **Table 2**. The total number of individuals examined for epilepsy survey in the region was 27,848, excluding 1443 individuals that were involved in the serological study by [29]. Three studies used door-to-door method of survey in estimating the prevalence of epilepsy [27, 30, 31]. Two of the authors used capture/recapture method. They used questionnaires/neurologist to diagnose epileptics [27, 30, 31] and according to definition by the ILAE 1989, and PAANS [68, 69]. The prevalence of epilepsy in the country ranged from 8.08/1000 to 20.1/1000. A study [29] linked the 1.5% seroprevalence epilepsy to the prevalence of human cysticercosis. A 0–29% human cysticercosis seroprevalence in Burkina Faso was obtained from six studies using Ag-ELISA [32–34, 36, 37] and the prevalence of epilepsy in the region ranged from 4.5 to 14% per 1000. The total individuals sampled for seroprevalence studies were 13,413. Three of the studies associated the prevalence of epilepsy to cysticercosis [36, 37]. Two studies [34, 38] estimated the prevalence of epilepsy only, with a total individuals sample size of 29,315 excluding studies that associated

Human taeniasis from Ghana was obtained from a study performing the Katao

Khazt method and obtained a prevalence of 13.3% in a total sample size of 44 individuals [39]. Human cysticercosis in Ghana was obtained from a study by western blot and obtained a prevalence of 0.01% and the same study estimated the prevalence of epilepsy as 10.1/1000 in a total population size of 586,607 [40].

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89559*

(1PC/2PWEI) and 4 from Togo (4 PWE).

**3.1 Porcine cysticercosis in West Africa**

Taenia solium *Cysticercosis in Pigs and Human: A Review of Epidemiological Data… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89559*

(**Tables 1** and **2**). **Figure 1** shows the flow chart of the selection of literature for the informed prevalence estimations of studies included in this review; 8 from Benin (1PC/7HCC/PWE), 11 from Burkina Faso (3PC/8HCC/PWE), 1 from Gambia (PC), 4 from Ghana (2PC/1EP/1TE), 2 from Liberia (PWE), 1 from Mali (PWE), 1 from Mauritania (PWE), 24 from Nigeria (PC10/HCC/PWE14), 3 from Senegal (1PC/2PWEI) and 4 from Togo (4 PWE).

### **3.1 Porcine cysticercosis in West Africa**

*Overview on Echinococcosis*

**34**

**3. Results**

**Figure 1.** *Flow diagram.*

countries; (3) articles written in languages other than French and English; (4) studies not presenting original data and/or the techniques and protocols performed on their studies and (5) studies not related to *T. solium* epidemiology and epilepsy in West African countries. Finally, when full texts were read, the following were selected. Community-based studies, case reports, HCC prevalence reports available, HCC diagnosis using the EITB and Ag ELISA, porcine cysticercosis using carcass inspection and Ab and Ag ELISA, Taeniasis studies based on Copro-Ag ELISA and stool microscopy,

and epilepsy studies based on questionnaire, medical or non-medical sources.

The search identified 66 studies that reported the prevalence of *T. solium* taeniasis/cysticercosis/neurocysticercosis and epilepsy in West Africa from 1980 to 2019.The study identified porcine cysticercosis in 18 countries, human cysticercosis in 19 countries, taeniasis in 4 countries and epilepsy was reported in 25 countries

One epidemiological studies from Benin [20] used carcass inspection to determine the prevalence of porcine inspection and obtained a prevalence of 0.06–0.69% among a total of 118,073, slaughtered pigs. Two studies from Burkina Faso used carcass inspection to determine the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis and obtained a prevalence of 0.22–0.57% in a total of 179,337 pigs [21, 58]. One study used B158/ B60 Ag-ELISA to determine the prevalence of active cysticercosis in pigs and obtained a seroprevalence of 32.5–39.6% among 336 pigs [22]. Two studies from Ghana determined the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis by carcass inspection and obtained the prevalence of 2.31–11.70% [59, 60], among a total of 4181 pigs. A total of 10 studies in Nigeria determined the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis by carcass inspection and obtained a prevalence of 1–20% [23–26, 61–65] among a total population of 12,781 pigs. While one study determined the seroprevalence of porcine cysticercosis and obtained a seroprevalence of 46% IgG antibodies among 115 pigs [66]. A study in Senegal determined the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis by lingual inspection and obtained a prevalence of 0.1–1.0%, while Ag-ELISA gave a seroprevalence of 4.8% [67]. All the data are presented in **Table 1**.

#### **3.2 Human cysticercosis, taeniasis and epilepsy in West Africa**

Sero-epidemiological studies from 16 countries were selected for the West African region, 3 studies [29] from Benin used Ab-ELISA, skull/muscle X-ray and pathology of cysts and a study used both Ab-ELISA and EITB [30]. The total number of individuals sampled for serological testing in this region was 4387. Prevalence of circulating antibodies ranged from 1 to 4%. Detailed description of each study is given in **Table 2**. The total number of individuals examined for epilepsy survey in the region was 27,848, excluding 1443 individuals that were involved in the serological study by [29]. Three studies used door-to-door method of survey in estimating the prevalence of epilepsy [27, 30, 31]. Two of the authors used capture/recapture method. They used questionnaires/neurologist to diagnose epileptics [27, 30, 31] and according to definition by the ILAE 1989, and PAANS [68, 69]. The prevalence of epilepsy in the country ranged from 8.08/1000 to 20.1/1000. A study [29] linked the 1.5% seroprevalence epilepsy to the prevalence of human cysticercosis. A 0–29% human cysticercosis seroprevalence in Burkina Faso was obtained from six studies using Ag-ELISA [32–34, 36, 37] and the prevalence of epilepsy in the region ranged from 4.5 to 14% per 1000. The total individuals sampled for seroprevalence studies were 13,413. Three of the studies associated the prevalence of epilepsy to cysticercosis [36, 37]. Two studies [34, 38] estimated the prevalence of epilepsy only, with a total individuals sample size of 29,315 excluding studies that associated the prevalence of epilepsy with cysticercosis.

Human taeniasis from Ghana was obtained from a study performing the Katao Khazt method and obtained a prevalence of 13.3% in a total sample size of 44 individuals [39]. Human cysticercosis in Ghana was obtained from a study by western blot and obtained a prevalence of 0.01% and the same study estimated the prevalence of epilepsy as 10.1/1000 in a total population size of 586,607 [40].

Human cysticercosis from Nigeria was obtained from two studies [47, 48] by using Ab ELISA with prevalence of cysticercosis ranging from 9.6 to 14.3% in a total of 425 individuals. There were five studies selected for epilepsy [43, 44, 51, 70] with prevalence ranging from 4.3/1000 to 20.8/1000 in a total of 64,979 individuals for the epilepsy study. Five studies in the region were case report of cysticercosis [45, 49, 50, 71] involving the ocular and breast cysticercosis. Human taeniasis was obtained from two studies by stool microscopy [25, 46] with a prevalence ranging from 8.6 to 40% among a total of 1953 individuals in the region. Human cysticercosis in Senegal was obtained from one study performing antigen and antibody ELISA [42]. The total number of individuals in the study were 403, and prevalence of both antigen and antibody was 7.6%.The prevalence of epilepsy in the country was obtained from two selected studies [52, 53] and the prevalence of epilepsy ranged from 8.3/1000 to 14.2/1000 in a total of 12,182 individuals. Prevalence of epilepsy from Liberia was obtained from two studies [41, 54] and the prevalence of epilepsy across the region ranged from 28.0/1000 to 43.0/1000 among a total of 7169. Prevalence of epilepsy from Mauritania was obtained in one study [55] with a prevalence of 34.7/1000 in a total of 236 individuals. Human cysticercosis was obtained from two sero-epidemiological studies from Togo by antibody ELISA and gave a prevalence of 23.3 [57] and cysticercosis 38/1000 [56] among a total of 14,419 individuals. The two studies also estimated the prevalence of epilepsy and obtained 16/1000 and 18.6/1000 [56, 57] among a total of 6607. A detailed description of each study is given in **Table 2**.
