Department of Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia
Meritxell Donadeu
Department of Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia Initiative for Neglected Animal Diseases (INAND), Constantia Park, Pretoria, South Africa
Kabemba E. Mwape
Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia
Neurocysticercosis is recognized as an important health issue in the Malagasy population. To date, investigations into prevalence of infection with the causative agent, Taenia solium, in the parasite's natural animal intermediate hosts, have relied on serological methods which have been found to be non-specific. We determined the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis among pigs from a contiguous area of the Betafo and Mandoto administrative districts, Vakinankaratra Region, Madagascar. One hundred and four slaughter-weight pigs were examined by detailed necropsy examination including slicing of the heart, tongue, masseter muscles, diaphragm and carcase musculature. Thirty-seven animals (35.6%) were found infected with T. solium, representing one of the highest rates of infection ever reported, worldwide. These findings highlight the importance of T. solium in Madagascar and support the need for increased efforts to prevent the parasite's transmission to reduce its burden on the health of the Malagasy population.
