Global variation in force-of-infection trends for human Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis

Dixon, MA; Winskill, P; Harrison, WE; Whittaker, C; Schmidt, V; Sanchez, ACF; Cucunuba, ZM; Edia-Asuke, AU; Walker, M; Basanez, MG

Abstract

Infection by Taenia solium poses a major burden across endemic countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) 2021-2030 Neglected Tropical Diseases roadmap has proposed that 30% of endemic countries achieve intensified T. solium control in hyperendemic areas by 2030. Understanding geographical variation in age-prevalence profiles and force-of-infection (FoI) estimates will inform intervention designs across settings. Human taeniasis (HTT) and human cysticercosis (HCC) age-prevalence data from 16 studies in Latin America, Africa, and Asia were extracted through a systematic review. Catalytic models, incorporating diagnostic performance uncertainty, were fitted to the data using Bayesian methods, to estimate rates of antibody (Ab)-seroconversion, infection acquisition and Ab-seroreversion or infection loss. HCC FoI and Ab-seroreversion rates were also estimated across 23 departments in Colombia from 28,100 individuals. Across settings, there was extensive variation in all-ages seroprevalence. Evidence for Ab-seroreversion or infection loss was found in most settings for both HTT and HCC and for HCC Ab-seroreversion in Colombia. The average duration until humans became Ab-seropositive/infected decreased as all-age (sero)prevalence increased. There was no clear relationship between the average duration humans remain Ab-seropositive and all-age seroprevalence. Marked geographical heterogeneity in T. solium transmission rates indicate the need for setting-specific intervention strategies to achieve the WHO goals.

Citation

Dixon, M., Winskill, P., Harrison, W., Whittaker, C., Schmidt, V., Sanchez, A., …Basanez, M. (2022). Global variation in force-of-infection trends for human Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis. eLife, 11, https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.76988

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 7, 2022
• Publication Date: Aug 19, 2022
• Deposit Date: Nov 17, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 30, 2022
• Publisher: eLife Sciences Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 11
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.76988
• Keywords: taenia solium; one health; modelling; neglected tropical diseases; statistics; zoonotic infections; Other; IMMUNOELECTROTRANSFER BLOT ASSAY; HUMAN CYSTICERCOSIS; RISK-FACTORS; SOLIUM TAENIASIS/CYSTICERCOSIS; DIAGNOSIS; SEROPREVALENCE; IMMUNOLOGY; PREVALEN