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. 2023 Nov 3;12(11):1313.
doi: 10.3390/pathogens12111313.

Clinical Characteristics of Neurocysticercosis in a Peruvian Population-Based Epilepsy Cohort: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study of Baseline Clinical Intake

Samantha E Allen  1 , Luz M Moyano  2 , Melissa T Wardle  3 , Carolina Guzman  4 , Sofia S Sanchez-Boluarte  4 , Gabrielle Bonnet  5 , Javier A Bustos  2   4   6   7 , Seth O'Neal  2   8 , Hector H Garcia  2   4   6   7 ; Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru
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Clinical Characteristics of Neurocysticercosis in a Peruvian Population-Based Epilepsy Cohort: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study of Baseline Clinical Intake

Samantha E Allen et al. Pathogens. .

Abstract

(1) Background: This study presents the baseline characteristics of a community-level population of people with epilepsy (n = 1975) living in an area endemic for Taenia solium, the pathogen responsible for neurocysticercosis (NCC). (2) Methods: Participants were sequentially enrolled in a clinical cohort from 2007 to 2020 in Tumbes, Peru. All participants provided demographic and clinical history and received clinical evaluations. Diagnostics, including neuroimaging, cysticercosis serologies, and EEG, were obtained where possible. The data presented are from the cross-sectional baseline assessment of cohort participants. (3) Results: Approximately 38% of participants met the criteria for NCC. Those with NCC were more likely to have adult-onset epilepsy, as well as a longer duration of epilepsy, as compared to their counterparts without NCC. Overall, the data indicate a large treatment gap, with only approximately a quarter of the baseline population with prescriptions for anti-seizure medications. (4) Conclusions: These data reveal a high proportion of NCC among people living with epilepsy in these communities, with limited health care resources. At baseline, 74% of the population were not receiving anti-seizure treatments. Further analyses of these data will clarify the natural history of the disease for this population.

Keywords: epidemiology; epilepsy; neurocysticercosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Anti-seizure medication (ASM) type among 442 participants who reported a history of ASM (panel (A)) and among 1523 participants who were prescribed ASM at baseline intake visit (panel (B)). Note: participants receiving more than one prescription may be duplicated. * Includes any benzodiazepine class of medications, including clobazam, clonazepam, and others; ** includes oxcarbazepine, gabapentin, bromide, and medication unknown.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Flowchart showing diagnostic pathway for neurocysticercosis (NCC).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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