TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical Characteristics of Neurocysticercosis in a Peruvian Population-Based Epilepsy Cohort
T2 - A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study of Baseline Clinical Intake
AU - on behalf of the Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru
AU - Allen, Samantha E.
AU - Moyano, Luz M.
AU - Wardle, Melissa T.
AU - Guzman, Carolina
AU - Sanchez-Boluarte, Sofia S.
AU - Bonnet, Gabrielle
AU - Bustos, Javier A.
AU - O’Neal, Seth
AU - Garcia, Hector H.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/11
Y1 - 2023/11
N2 - (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.
AB - (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.
KW - epidemiology
KW - epilepsy
KW - neurocysticercosis
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U2 - 10.3390/pathogens12111313
DO - 10.3390/pathogens12111313
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85178120092
SN - 2076-0817
VL - 12
JO - Pathogens
JF - Pathogens
IS - 11
M1 - 1313
ER -