Potential Parasitic Causes of Epilepsy in an Onchocerciasis Endemic Area in the Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of Congo.

A high burden of epilepsy is observed in Africa where parasitological infections are endemic. In 2016, in an Onchocerciasis endemic area in the Logo health zone, in Ituri province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a door-to-door study showed an epilepsy prevalence of 4.6%, and 50.6% of persons with epilepsy were infected with . In the current study, the serum of 195 people infected with persons with epilepsy were tested to determine the proportion of co-infections with and . These proportions were, respectively, 8.2, 18.5 and 12.8%. Persons with a co-infection were older than those without co-infection ( = 0.021). In six (37.5%) of the co-infected persons, the first seizures appeared after the age of 30 years compared to three (2.1%) persons without a co-infection ( < 0.0001). Our study suggests that an infection is the main parasitic cause of epilepsy in the Ituri province, but in some persons, mainly in those with late onset epilepsy and with focal seizures, the epilepsy may be caused by neurocysticercosis. As the population in the area rears pigs, activities to limit transmission should be implemented.