Control of Taenia solium

Acta Trop. 2003 Jun;87(1):103-9. doi: 10.1016/s0001-706x(03)00025-1.

Abstract

Control or eradication of Taenia solium cysticercosis has been achieved to date only in Europe and North America. Significant improvements in sanitary conditions and developing functional slaughterhouse control systems were primarily responsible for control in these regions. Conversely, in endemic areas of developing countries control is limited by economic and sanitary conditions: the life cycle of T. solium is sustained because pigs have access to infected faeces, and cysticercosis-infested pork is available for consumption. Interventional trials with massive human cestocidal chemotherapy, treatment of both human and porcine populations with antihelminthic drugs and/or immunotherapy and health education have shown improvements in specific settings but not yet proven to be sustainable in the long-term. In order to ensure sustainability, any given control strategy towards elimination/eradication of porcine cysticercosis should incorporate economic incentives.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / prevention & control
  • Endemic Diseases / economics
  • Endemic Diseases / prevention & control
  • Endemic Diseases / statistics & numerical data
  • Health Education / methods
  • Health Education / trends
  • Humans
  • Prevalence
  • Sus scrofa / parasitology*
  • Swine Diseases / parasitology
  • Swine Diseases / prevention & control*
  • Swine Diseases / therapy
  • Taenia solium* / isolation & purification
  • Taeniasis / prevention & control*
  • Taeniasis / therapy
  • Taeniasis / veterinary*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vaccines / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Vaccines