Epidemiología de la cisticercosis humana en pacientes de consulta neurológica en Popayán, Cauca, Colombia

Antecedentes: la teniosis/cisticercosis es una zoonosis desatendida considerada un problema de salud publica en paises en vias de desarrollo, es causada por el parasito Taenia solium, y las personas infectadas desarrollan teniasis o cisticercosis y/o neurocisticercosis. Objetivo: determinar la seroprevalencia de cisticercosis humana en pacientes atendidos en el ano 2014 en la consulta neurologica en Popayan, Cauca, Colombia. Materiales y metodos: estudio descriptivo de corte transversal incluyendo pacientes que llegaron a la consulta neurologica en Popayan. Se solicito consentimiento informado para recolectar 5 mL de sangre y realizo una encuesta. Se determinaron los anticuerpos anticisticerco (fraccion proteica de 53 kDa) con la tecnica ELISA, con una sensibilidad del 95.3% y especificidad del 100%. Se empleo el programa SPSS v19 para el analisis estadistico. Resultados: se evaluaron 200 pacientes con un edad promedio de 41,49 anos, resultaron con anticuerpos anticisticerco el 54% (108/200). El 53,2% (25/47) presento crisis focales y fueron seropositivos. Hubo significancia estadistica con el consumo de verduras (P=0,048). Conclusiones: el estudio revelo la mas alta positividad serologica para cisticercosis humana en pacientes de consulta neurologica registrada para Colombia e incluso para Latinoamerica. Es relevante comunicar a las autoridades pertinentes la inclusion de esta parasitosis en la politica institucional de salud publica conducente al control y erradicacion. EPIDEMIOLOGY OF HUMAN CISTICERCOSIS IN PATIENTS ATTENDING NEUROLOGY CLINICS IN POPAYAN, CAUCA, COLOMBIA ABSTRACT Background: Teniosis/cysticercosis and/or neurocysticercosis is a parasitic zoonosis neglected as a public health problem in developing countries, caused by Taenia solium. Objective: To determine the seroprevalence of human cysticercosis in patients treated in 2014 in the neurological consultation in Popayan, Cauca, Colombia. Materials and methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study including patients who came to the neurological consultation in Popayan. Five mL of blood were collected and consent was requested in order to conduct the present survey. Anti-Cysticercus antibodies against a protein fraction of 53 kDa on ELISA microplates was determined (sensitivity= 95.3% and specificity= 100%) . Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS v19. Results: 200 patients were evaluated with an average age of 41,49 years, 54% (108/200) showed with anti-Cysticercus antibodies and 53.2 % (25/47) had focal seizures and were seropositive. There was statistical significance associated with vegetable consumption (P= 0,048). Conclusions: Our study indicates high seropositivities for human cysticercosis in patients registered in neurological consultation, which were higher than other Colombian and Latin American populations. It would be important to discuss with relevant authorities the inclusion of this parasitosis in institutional public health programs and policies pointing towards its control and eradication.