The challenges of detecting Taenia solium and neurocysticercosis in low and middle‐income countries: A scoping review of Lao People's Democratic Republic

• Published in: Tropical medicine & international health 2023-05, Vol.28 (5), p.344-356
• Main Authors: Larkins, Andrew, Keatley, Sarah, Insisiengmay, Bounnaloth, Phetsouvanh, Rattanaxay, Bruce, Mieghan, Ash, Amanda
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cysticercosis; Developing Countries; Diagnostic software; Disease control; Epilepsy; Feces; Humans; Income; Lao PDR; Laos; neglected tropical diseases; neurocysticercosis; Neurocysticercosis - diagnosis; Taenia; Taenia solium; Taeniasis; Taeniasis - diagnosis; Zoonoses
• ISSN: 1360-2276; 1365-3156
• DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13870

Objective Taenia solium is a tapeworm of global importance due to the burden of disease associated with human epilepsy caused by neurocysticercosis. Unfortunately, diagnostic challenges impede control efforts in many low and middle‐income countries. This review examines publications concerning Taenia species in the Lao PDR with a focus on T. solium to inform future research and control programmes. Methods PubMed and Scopus databases were primary sources of evidence. Publications must have reported taeniasis or T. solium results from Lao PDR. Publications repeating results or samples were combined into unique projects. Results A total of 64 publications were included and summarised into 46 projects. The majority of projects applied faecal microscopy as their only diagnostic technique. As a result, the specific species of Taenia was often not determined. Only five projects used molecular techniques to identify the species observed. Only case report of neurocysticercosis has been published. The northern region was included in half the number of projects compared to the south, despite being a high‐risk area T. solium. Conclusions The diagnostic challenge of determining the species of Taenia present in a faecal sample presents a significant limitation to the control of T. solium in Lao PDR and is an experience that is relevant to many other low and middle‐income countries. There must be an improved understanding of the distribution and frequency of T. solium if disease control efforts are to be intensified to reduce the burden of neurocysticercosis, as encouraged by WHO and others. It is hoped that this can be achieved through non‐biological risk mapping tools and the more frequent application of molecular tools to routine sample collection. Diagnostic tools that are applicable to low resource settings should be a priority area of research for T. solium.