Prevalência, distribuição espacial e fatores de risco para cisticercose bovina no estado de São Paulo

Bovine cysticercosis in the State of São Paulo, Brazil: Prevalence, risk factors and financial losses for farmers

Taenia saginata is the causative agent of bovine cysticercosis (BCC) and human taeniasis, two diseases that have economical and public health importance, respectively. This research focused on determining BCC prevalence in the state of São Paulo state, Brazil, in the period of 2017-2019, as well as associating risk factors related to disease occurrence and estimate the economic impact to beef producers. Data from 6,277,758 bovine carcasses originating from 571 municipalities and 15 different mesoregions in the state of São Paulo was gathered and analyzed. Cysticerci were detected in a total of 88,700 carcasses at meat inspection, resulting in an apparent prevalence of 1.41 % (C.I. 95 % 1.40-1.42 %). BCC was widespread in this state and its spatial distribution varied in municipalities and mesoregions. The variable number of milking cows in the municipality was significantly associated (OR = 1.48, p = 0.00) with BCC cases, conversely, the presence of peasant's settlements in the municipality was a protective factor (OR = 0.49, p = 0.02). Financial losses for cattle farmers were estimated at US$ 5,829,103.99. The results of this research show that there is still room for implementation of bovine cysticercosis control measures in endemic areas, aiming to reduce financial losses to farmers as well as reduction of human taeniasis cases in the population.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of bovine cysticercosis in Brazil: current knowledge and way forward

Background

Taenia saginata taeniosis/cysticercosis has been well studied in several countries. Brazil is one of the most important beef exporting countries and has one of the highest cattle population size in the world. In this country, bovine cysticercosis (BCC) remains the most frequent reported zoonosis detected during post-mortem inspection, resulting in costs for the beef sector and public health. We performed a systematic literature review regarding data about BCC epidemiology in Brazil and meta-analyses for its prevalence in different administrative regions and the distribution over time, and based on this discussed possible control strategies.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted to obtain data about BCC in Brazil using the words “bovine cysticercosis” and “Brazil” to construct the search phrase. The inclusion criteria used to select articles were: (i) published from 2000 to 2018; (ii) full text available online in Portuguese or English; and (iii) contain information at least regarding one of the following aspects of BCC in Brazil: prevalence, incidence, spatial distribution, risk-factors, economic burden and measures for control.

Results

A set of 42 articles was included, covering the prevalence of BCC in Brazil, ranging between 0.01–18.75%. Prevalence results of 40 articles were included in a meta-analysis per administrative region. The highest prevalence was found in the South (3.4%; 95% CI: 2.0–5.2%), followed by the Southeast (2.7%; 95% CI: 1.9–3.6%), Northeast (1.5%; 95% CI: 0.6–2.7%), Central-western (0.9%; 95% CI: 0.3–1.7%) and North (0.0%; 95% CI: 0.0–0.6%) region. In addition, a reduction in prevalence over time was observed in all the evaluated states except for Alagoas and Pará.

Conclusions

Besides the large availability of data, a critical lack of information about BCC epidemiology remains in Brazil. Nevertheless, the available data on prevalence, high risk-areas and risk factors should contribute to a better understanding of transmission and the formulation of recommendations for control. A One Health approach will be required to reduce T. saginata taeniosis/cysticercosis prevalence and the consequent economic burden for the beef sector in Brazil, one of the most important beef exporters in the world.

Prevalence and geographical distribution of bovine cysticercosis in the mesoregion of Northern Minas Gerais

ABSTRACT The knowledge of the prevalence of bovine cysticercosis is important for the implementation of control programs. The objective was to evaluate the prevalence and geographical distribution of bovine cysticercosis in Northern Minas Gerais. For that, 14,556 cattle were evaluated during the federal post-mortem inspection in 27 municipalities of five microregions: Janaúba, Montes Claros, Januária, Pirapora and Bocaiúva. The prevalence of Cysticercus bovis was 1.03% with distribution in all microregions evaluated of the northern Minas Gerais. All municipalities with a sampling number of cattle slaughtered above 543 showed positive animals for cysticercosis. The microregions of Bocaiúva, Montes Claros, Janaúba, Januária and Pirapora presented a prevalence of cysticercosis at 2.11%, 1.17%, 1.01%, 0.90% and 0.56%, respectively. The microregions of Montes Claros and Januária presented a greater chance of finding positive cattle for cysticercosis. As there are positive cases of cysticercosis in all microregions evaluated, there is a risk to human health.

Occurrence of Bovine Cysticercosis in Two Regions of the State of Tocantins-Brazil and the Importance of Pathogen Identification

Bovine cysticercosis, caused by Taenia saginata metacestodes, is the cause of significant economic losses to the meat production chain by condemnation and downgrading of infected carcasses. It is also a public health issue causing human taeniasis. This study evaluated the occurrence of bovine cysticercosis at the meat inspection procedures in slaughterhouses of south and north regions of the Tocantins State in Brazil. Specimens identified as cysts of T. saginata were collected and analyzed by molecular (PCR) and histopathological techniques. The cysts were collected from March to December of 2010 in slaughterhouses located in the cities of Alvorada (South) and Araguaína (North). The frequency of cystic lesions during the study was 0.033% (53/164,091) with 69.81% of calcified lesions and 30.9% of live cysts at meat inspection. From 14 samples submitted to molecular analysis, 28.57% (4/14) were positive for T. saginata. The histopathological analysis of the non-T. saginata samples showed lesions suggestive of granuloma and hydatid disease. The results indicated that the identification of the etiological agent is difficult by macroscopic inspection, emphasizing the need to associate specific diagnostic methods at meat inspection in abattoirs. In addition, species-specific PCR would be an effective tool for diagnosis, monitoring, and identifying cysticercosis, assisting the conventional tests.

Epidemiology of Taenia saginata taeniosis/cysticercosis: a systematic review of the distribution in the Americas

BACKGROUND

The distribution of Taenia saginata in the Americas is unclear. Establishing the distribution, economic burden, and potentials for control of bovine cysticercosis is increasingly important due to the growing demand for beef. This paper aims to take the first step and reviews the recent distribution of T. saginata taeniosis and bovine cysticercosis on a national level within the Americas.

METHODS

We undertook a systematic review of published and grey literature for information on the occurrence, prevalence, and geographical distribution of bovine cysticercosis and human taeniosis in the 54 countries and territories of the Americas between January 1st, 1990 and December 31st, 2017. Data on bovine cysticercosis from OIE reports from 1994 to 2005 were also included.

RESULTS

We identified 66 papers from the Americas with data on the occurrence of taeniosis or bovine cysticercosis and an additional 19 OIE country reports on bovine cysticercosis. Taeniosis was reported from 13 countries, with nine of these countries reporting specifically T. saginata taeniosis, and four countries reporting non-species specific taeniosis. The reported prevalence of taeniosis ranged between 0.04-8.8%. Bovine cysticercosis was reported from 19 countries, nine identified through the literature search, and an additional 10 identified through the OIE country reports for notifiable diseases. The reported prevalence of bovine cysticercosis ranged between 0.1-19%. Disease occurrence was restricted to 21 countries within the Americas, the majority from the mainland, with the only island nations reporting either bovine cysticercosis or taeniosis being Cuba, Haiti, and the US Virgin Islands.

CONCLUSIONS

Taenia saginata is widely distributed across 21 of the 54 countries in the Americas, but insufficient epidemiological data are available to estimate the subnational spatial distribution, prevalence, incidence and intensity of infections. This needs to be addressed through active surveillance and disease detection programmes. Such programmes would improve the data quantity and quality, and may enable estimation of the economic burden due to bovine cysticercosis in the region in turn determining the requirement for and cost-effectiveness of control measures.

Prevalence of bovine fascioliasis, areas at risk and ensuing losses in the state of Goiás, Brazil

The present study had to determine the prevalence and spatial distribution of areas at risk of bovine fascioliasis in the state of Goiás, central-western Brazil between 2007 and 2014; to evaluate the associations of some epidemiological variables with occurrences of Fasciola hepatica in animals; and to estimate the economic losses that this parasite on the cattle industry. It could be concluded that of 23,255,979 animals slaughtered, the average prevalence of F. hepatica in cattle in Goiás during the period evaluated was 0.0026% (95% CI: 0.0024-0.0028). In the State of Goias, in about then years (since when this parasite was found for the first time by other researchers in 2007), F. hepatica was diagnosed in 168 new municipalities. Using the regression analysis, the effective bovine herd size was a significant risk factor (OR= 1.21; 95% CI 1.1022-1.4510; p ≤ 0.05) for cattle to be infected with fascioliasis in the state of Goiás. The cattle-rearing industry lost approximately R$ 15,072.75 (US$ 4,785) due to condemn of livers with Fasciola in the state of Goiás. New studies need to be conducted in these regions, with the aim to identify the likelihood of presence of intermediate hosts, which might serve as a source of F. hepatica infection for definitive hosts.

Analysis of bovine cysticercosis in the state of Goiás, Brazil and economical losses for beef farms

This study aimed to assess the prevalence and spatial distribution of bovine cysticercosis in the state of Goiás, Brazil; to verify its association with epidemiological variables, and to establish the economical losses for beef farms. A set of 23 255 979 bovines from 246 municipalities were slaughtered from 2007 through 2014. The prevalence of bovine cysticercosis was 0·53% [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0·5295–0·5354]. The Central mesoregion showed a higher risk [odds ratio (OR) = 4·44; 95% CI 4·2936–4·5895] for detecting infected animals with cysticerci compared with those raised at North and Northeast mesoregion (OR = 1·02 and OR = 1·02). The microregion of Goiânia had a higher risk for bovine cysticercosis occurrence (OR = 11·05, 95% CI 10·6933–11·4099) compared with the microregion of São Miguel do Araguaia (OR = 1). None of the epidemiological variables evaluated in this study was significantly associated (P > 0·05) with bovine cysticercosis prevalence.

In conclusion, the prevalence of bovine cysticercosis in the state of Goiás, Brazil, was 0·53% and some mesoregions and microregions presented a higher risk for its occurrence. The economical losses due to its occurrence during the period ranged from US$9 260 728·57 to 11 313 816·67. These results highlighted the needs of adopting prophylactic measures and the development of political strategies in specific regions in order to control this zoonose and reduce the economical losses for beef production chain and the costs for public health.

Spatial analysis of bovine cysticercosis in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil - The needs of interventions in animal and human populations

The Taenia saginata-cysticercosis complex is an important zoonosis for public health and an important cause of economical losses for beef supply chain in developing and industrialized countries. Despite some risk factors for high-occurrence areas have already been described, further studies are required to better understand its global epidemiology. So, this study focused on establishing the prevalence, spatial distribution and environmental and human population aspects correlated with bovine cysticercosis prevalence in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. To this, we used data of 7,415,998 animals slaughtered from all 79 municipalities located in this state. Cysticercosis prevalence showed spatial distribution dependence (Moran Index=0.375, p=0.01) and some areas presented higher risk. Positive correlations of bovine cysticercosis prevalence with human population density (R=0.5712, p=3.85 e-08) and rainfall index (R=0.631, p=0.03) were observed. A negative correlation (R=-0.4637, p=2.096 e-05) with cattle population size was also established. These results highlight the importance of adopting sanitary measures to prevent environment contamination, besides other prophylactic measures like the treatment of human patients in order to reduce the Taenia saginata-cysticercosis complex occurrence.