Sero-Prevalence of Neurocysticercosis Among the Patients Visiting Neurology Department of Institution of Medicine, Teaching Hospital, TUTH, Nepal

Abstract

The infection due to larval form of either T. solium or T. saginata tapeworm in Central Nervous System is called neurocysticercosis. NCC is recognized as the main cause of epilepsy in the humans. With the objective to determine the sero-prevalence of NCC, 80 patients visiting the neurology department of Tribhuwan University Teaching hospital were screened using Ag-ELISA method. Similary, to asses the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding NCC and epilepsy, a questionnaire survey was carried out among the neurological patients. The overall 6.25% sero-prevalence of NCC was found among symptomatic and non-symptomatic neurological patients. Ethnically, sero-positivity was maximum among madhesi followed by janajati, and chhetri. Age and sex-wise seroprevalence

of NCC revealed maximum among males and age-group 10-30 years. The region wise scenario showed 11.5% and 4.0% prevalence in terai followed by hill with insignificant associations statistically. In general, people's knowledge and attitude showed that they are unknown and ignorant about the epilepsy and NCC. In the context of Nepal, it is a neglected, but important neurological problem. Policy at government level for the control of the disease is urgently required.