1A9bnbK

***
THE DISEASES − CHAPTER 4
169
Investment case
In Peru, symptoms of neurocysticercosis have been estimated to cause to the average sufferer
a loss of 44.5 hours of productive activity per month. Such symptoms cause two-thirds of
wage-earners to lose their jobs, and only 61% are able to re-engage in wage-earning activities. 1
Annual losses due to porcine cysticercosis have been estimated at about US$ 25 million
for 10 West and Central African countries in 2002, 2 and US$ 5 million for the Eastern
Cape Province of South Africa in 2004. 3 Porcine cysticercosis has a serious impact on pigproducing
communities, leading to poor-quality pork, falling pork prices or pork being
condemned as unfit for human consumption, thereby reducing income and rendering an
important source of protein unsafe to eat.
Investment targets for veterinary public-health interventions may be included in updates
to the analyses contained in Chapter 2 of this report. 4
_____________________
1
URajkotia Y, Lescano AG, Gilman RH, Cornejo C, Garcia HH, Cysticercosis Working Group of Peru. Economic burden of
neurocysticercosis: results from Peru. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2007;101:840–6. doi:10.1016/j.trstmh.2007.03.008.
2
Zoli A, Shey-Njila O, Assana E, Nguekam J-P, Dorny P, Brandt J et al. Regional status, epidemiology and impact of Taenia
solium cysticercosis in Western and Central Africa. Acta Trop. 2003;87:35–42. doi:10.1016/S0001-706X(03)00053-6.
3
Carabin H, Krecek RC, Cowan LD, Michael L, Foyaca-Sibat H, Nash T et al. Estimation of the cost of
Taenia solium cysticercosis in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Trop Med Int Health. 2006;11:906–16.
doi:10.1111/j.1365-3156.2006.01627.
4
Maurice J. Of pigs and people–WHO prepares to battle cysticercosis. Lancet. 2014;384:571–2.
doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61353-2.
Burden and distribution
The lack of data on this zoonotic disease results from the absence of any systematic
programme to generate them; the data therefore remain fragmented. There are indications,
however, that the burden of cysticercosis may be emerging in South Africa due to value and
trade patterns in pig production. T. solium cysticercosis is especially common where humans
live in close proximity with their pigs, with low levels of sanitation and poor understanding of
porcine management. Cysticercosis has been a serious public-health problem in Latin America
for decades (1). The disease is endemic in South and South-East Asia (2) and is emerging in
large areas of sub-Saharan Africa (Fig. 4.16.1; Table 4.16.1). New reports of neurocysticercosis
cases are re-emerging in the developed world, with recent reports in Europe (3) and the United
States of America (4).
WHO estimates that at least 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy. Neurocysticercosis is
responsible for about 30% of epilepsy cases in endemic countries (6) and around 3% globally ( 7).
The Global burden of disease (2010) study estimated that neurocysticercosis was responsible
for around 0.5 million DALYs per year. In low- and middle-income countries where pork is
consumed, the burden of epilepsy is almost 6.8 million DALYs per year (8). Where access to
health services is limited, mortality due to neurocysticercosis is about 3–6 times higher in these
disadvantaged populations than in the general population.