Adikwu Alex A, Iorparegh Tyonginengen, Per Felix M, Adamu Andrew M, Owolodun Olajide A, Horwood Paul F, Emeto Theophilus I, Adegboye Oyelola A
Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria.
College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
Vet Med Sci. 2025 May;11(3):e70367. doi: 10.1002/vms3.70367.
Cysticercosis is a key zoonotic disease burden, posing significant public health challenges. Neurocysticercosis, a sequela associated with the larval stage of Taenia solium, is a recognised cause of late-onset epilepsy in humans, thereby highlighting the need for robust epidemiological data. This study investigated the prevalence of cysticercosis in slaughtered pigs within Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria, to contribute to understanding the disease's local epidemiology and associated risk factors.
From January to August 2019, we examined pig carcasses at four abattoirs: Utyondo market, Wurukum abattoir, Modern market, and Railway abattoirs. Structured questionnaires were administered to butchers, pig farmers, and civil servants to gather information on disease knowledge. A total of 2,176 pig carcasses were examined.
Among the examined carcasses, 24 (1.1%) were infected. Of these, 18 (0.83%) were boars, and 6 (0.28%) were sows. The highest prevalence was observed in Utyondo market (2.75%), followed by Wurukum (0.77%) and Railway markets (0.65%). The diaphragm (odds ratio (OR) = 0.09; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01-0.70) and the tongue (OR = 0.18; 95% CI: 0.04-0.81) were less likely to be infected compared to the shoulder. Knowledge of cysticercosis was relatively high across all participants (71.72%, 95% CI: 61.77-80.31).
Our findings indicate the endemicity of porcine cysticercosis in Makurdi abattoirs. While knowledge of the disease seems relatively widespread among exposed populations, gaps exist in understanding transmission routes. A collaborative One Health approach involving studies on occupationally exposed individuals is recommended for a comprehensive understanding of the disease burden and to develop targeted control strategies.
囊尾蚴病是一种主要的人畜共患病负担，带来了重大的公共卫生挑战。神经囊尾蚴病是与猪带绦虫幼虫阶段相关的后遗症，是人类迟发性癫痫的公认病因，因此凸显了获取可靠流行病学数据的必要性。本研究调查了尼日利亚贝努埃州马库尔迪屠宰猪的囊尾蚴病患病率，以帮助了解该病的当地流行病学及相关风险因素。
2019年1月至8月，我们在四个屠宰场检查了猪胴体：乌延多市场、乌鲁库姆屠宰场、现代市场和铁路屠宰场。向屠夫、养猪户和公务员发放了结构化问卷，以收集有关疾病知识的信息。共检查了2176头猪胴体。
在检查的胴体中，24头（1.1%）被感染。其中，18头（0.83%）为公猪，6头（0.28%）为母猪。乌延多市场的患病率最高（2.75%），其次是乌鲁库姆（0.77%）和铁路市场（0.65%）。与肩部相比，膈肌（优势比（OR）=0.09；95%置信区间（CI）：0.01 - 0.70）和舌头（OR = 0.18；95%CI：0.04 - 0.81）感染的可能性较小。所有参与者对囊尾蚴病的知晓率相对较高（71.72%，95%CI：61.77 - 80.31）。
我们的研究结果表明马库尔迪屠宰场存在猪囊尾蚴病地方流行情况。虽然该病的知识在暴露人群中似乎相对普遍，但在传播途径的理解上仍存在差距。建议采用涉及职业暴露个体研究的协作性“同一健康”方法，以全面了解疾病负担并制定有针对性的控制策略。
