Seroepidemiologic Survey for Human Sparganosis in Mto wa Mbu Division, Monduli District, Tanzania

Abstract

Sparganum is a plerocercoid of pseudophyllidean tapeworm of Spirometra species. Human sparganosis has been reported in Northern Tanzania. A seroepidemiologic survey was undertaken to detect anti-sparganum specific IgG antibodies in serum of normal inhabitants of Mto wa Mbu, Monduli District, Tanzania. Sera were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the antisparganum antibodies. Positive rate for antisparganum antibody in 185 subjects was 116 (62.7%). Out of these 17 (9.2) were adult males, 80 (43.2%) were adult females and 19 (10.3%) were children (<18 years). Data for the questionnaire for all 116 ELISA positive inhabitants revealed that had history of eating game meat and drinking water from running springs. The data revealed that ELISA would be useful to find infected cases among normal inhabitants at sparganosis endemic areas.

Key words: Sparganosis, seroepidemiology, ELISA