Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of human cystic echinococcosis in some parts of Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

Livestock, pets and companion animals in developing nations are plagued with several infectious diseases some of them with zoonotic potentials. Echinococcosis which is a neglected zoonotic parasitic disease is one of such diseases that affect domestic animals and man with serious health and economic impacts. A cross-sectional questionnaire and serological survey was conducted on human subjects from four Local Government Areas (LGA) of Plateau State, Nigeria, to determine knowledge, attitude and practice and their level of exposure to E. granulosus infection. Sera from 181 human subjects recruited for this study were screened for IgG antibodies to E. granulosus using a commercial ELISA kit. Overall, 6 out of the 181 (3.3%) tested sera were positive. Seropositivity was associated with subjects below 10 years (OR=5.6), study location (OR=1.8), and scavenging behaviour of dogs (OR= 1.5), but not with gender of dog owners (OR=0.7), dog ownership (OR=0.6), dog deworming practice (OR=0.3) or the use of slaughter facility and meat inspection (OR=0.6). Ignorance about the transmission cycle of E. granulosus coupled with unhygienic practices are the main risk factors for the perpetuation of the disease in the study-communities. Sensitization, awareness creation and advocacy for hygienic  practises among the communities are recommended, as a short term measure while large scale studies to determine the true prevalence and the
risk factors of the disease will form the basis for possible future control measures.

Keywords: Seroprevalence; Echinococcus granulosus; antibody; ELISA; human; Plateau State.