Global Health Institute, University of Antwerp, Kinsbergen Centrum Doornstraat 331, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium.
FRCC Amref International University, Nairobi, Kenya.
Seizure. 2018 Dec;63:93-101. doi: 10.1016/j.seizure.2018.11.004. Epub 2018 Nov 13.
To determine the prevalence and incidence of epilepsy in an onchocerciasis endemic region of South Sudan.
In May 2018, a door-to-door household survey was conducted in 8 study sites in an onchocerciasis endemic area in Maridi County.
A total of 2511 households agreed to participate in the study, corresponding to 17,652 individuals. An epilepsy screening questionnaire identified 799 persons suspected to have epilepsy (4.5%); in 736 of the 766 persons (96.1%) seen by a clinical officer the diagnosis of epilepsy was confirmed. Adding 38 persons who were not seen but with a positive answer to a combination of screening questions, 774 persons (4.4%) had epilepsy. Epilepsy prevalence was highest in the 11-20 age group (10.5%); 66 persons with epilepsy (PWE) developed their first seizures in the year preceding the survey (annual incidence = 373.9/100.000). Neurocysticercosis cannot explain the high epilepsy prevalence since no pigs are kept in the area. Independent risk factors for epilepsy included male gender, belonging to a "permanent household" and a farming family, and living in a village bordering the Maridi River. Only 7209 (40.8%) of the population took ivermectin in 2017.
A very high prevalence and incidence of epilepsy was observed in several villages in Maridi County located close to the Maridi River and the Maridi dam. Urgent action is needed to prevent children in Maridi County from developing OAE by strengthening the onchocerciasis elimination program.
在南苏丹的一个盘尾丝虫病流行地区确定癫痫的患病率和发病率。
2018 年 5 月，在马里迪县的 8 个盘尾丝虫病流行地区的研究点进行了逐户家庭调查。
共有 2511 户家庭同意参与研究，共涉及 17652 人。癫痫筛查问卷确定了 799 名疑似癫痫患者（4.5%）；在由临床医生检查的 766 名患者中，有 736 人（96.1%）确诊为癫痫。加上 38 名未接受检查但对组合筛查问题回答为阳性的患者，共有 774 人（4.4%）患有癫痫。癫痫患病率在 11-20 岁年龄组最高（10.5%）；在调查前一年有 66 名癫痫患者（PWE）首次发作（年发病率为 373.9/100.000）。由于该地区没有养猪，神经囊尾蚴病不能解释高癫痫患病率。癫痫的独立危险因素包括男性、属于“常住家庭”和农民家庭以及居住在与马里迪河接壤的村庄。2017 年，只有 7209 人（40.8%）服用了伊维菌素。
在马里迪县靠近马里迪河和马里迪大坝的几个村庄观察到癫痫的患病率和发病率非常高。需要采取紧急行动，通过加强盘尾丝虫病消除计划，防止马里迪县的儿童发生 OAE。
