Korean J Parasitol.  2014 Apr;52(2):125-129.

Current Status of Taeniasis and Cysticercosis in Vietnam

• Van De N
• Le TH
• Lien PT
• Eom KS

Abstract

Several reports on taeniasis and cysticercosis in Vietnam show that they are distributed in over 50 of 63 provinces. In some endemic areas, the prevalence of taeniasis was 0.2-12.0% and that of cysticercosis was 1.0-7.2%. The major symptoms of taeniasis included fidgeted anus, proglottids moving out of the anus, and proglottids in the feces. Clinical manifestations of cysticercosis in humans included subcutaneous nodules, epileptic seizures, severe headach, impaired vision, and memory loss. The species identification of Taenia in Vietnam included Taenia asiatica, Taenia saginata, and Taenia solium based on combined morphology and molecular methods. Only T. solium caused cysticercosis in humans. Praziquantel was chosen for treatment of taeniasis and albendazole for treatment of cysticercosis. The infection rate of cysticercus cellulosae in pigs was 0.04% at Hanoi slaughterhouses, 0.03-0.31% at provincial slaughterhouses in the north, and 0.9% in provincial slaughterhouses in the southern region of Vietnam. The infection rate of cysticercus bovis in cattle was 0.03-2.17% at Hanoi slaughterhouses. Risk factors investigated with regard to transmission of Taenia suggested that consumption of raw meat (eating raw meat 4.5-74.3%), inadequate or absent meat inspection and control, poor sanitation in some endemic areas, and use of untreated human waste as a fertilizer for crops may play important roles in Vietnam, although this remains to be validated.

Keyword

Taeniasis; cysticercosis; Vietnam

MeSH Terms

Albendazole/*therapeutic use
Animals
Anthelmintics/therapeutic use
Antiprotozoal Agents/therapeutic use
Cattle/parasitology
Cattle Diseases/parasitology
Cysticercosis/*drug therapy/*epidemiology/parasitology/transmission
Feces/parasitology
Humans
Meat/parasitology
Praziquantel/*therapeutic use
Raw Foods/adverse effects
Risk Factors
Swine/parasitology
Swine Diseases/parasitology
Vietnam/epidemiology
Albendazole
Anthelmintics
Antiprotozoal Agents
Praziquantel