| Summary: | Cysticercosis is one of the main causes of secondary epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa. To estimate the seroprevalence of cysticercosis among epileptic patients, we conducted a cross-sectional study of patients attending neurology consultation in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. <b>Methods</b>: Patients’ socio-demographic and lifestyle data were collected as well as blood samples for serological testing using ELISA and Western blot based on IgG antibodies detection. For qualitative variables comparison, Chi<sup>2</sup> or Fisher tests were used; a Student’s t-test was used to compare quantitative variables. A multivariate logistic regression model was fit to identify risks factors. <b>Results</b>: Among 403 epileptic patients included in the study, 55.3% were male; the median age was 16.9 years; 77% lived in Abidjan; 26.5% were workers. Most patients included in the study had tonic-clonic seizures (80%), and 11.2% had focal deficit signs. The seroprevalence of cysticercosis was 6.0%. The risk was higher in patients over 30 years old (aOR = 5.1 (1.3–20.0)) than in patients under 16. The risk was also considerably high in patients who reported epileptics in the family (aOR = 5 (1.7–14.6)). The risk was three-fold less in females than in males. <b>Conclusions</b>: This study highlighted the exposure of epileptic patients to <i>Taenia solium</i> larvae in an urban area. The risk of positive serology was increased with age, male gender, and family history of epilepsy.
|
|---|