Biography
Biography: Athanase Millogo
Abstract
Epilepsy has a huge burden in Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite its high prevalence relative to that observed in developed country, this condition is still neglected in many African countries. A possible contributing cause to the elevated prevalence in areas of Sub-Saharan Africa where pigs are raised is neurocysticercosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the larval stages of Taenia solium, transmitted between humans and pigs, with a possible migration to the human brain. Seizures are the primary manifestation of NCC, occurring in 65 to 90% of patients with imaging evidence of the larval stage of Taenia solium. Thus, identification of persons with seizures is a logical starting point for identification of people with NCC. Estimates of the prevalence of epilepsy in this region vary widely, even in the same country. The internationally recognized diagnosis of NCC involves the results of brain imaging, serological test to detect antibodies and neurological manifestations. However, the most important criteria in NCC diagnosis are from the analysis of neuroimages, which has hampered this disease from being recognized as a major cause of epilepsy in Sub-Saharan Africa. Indeed, the poor access of the population to neuroimaging facilities limits the availability of representative data on NCC. The management of NCC-related epilepsy is possible through the pork inspection and the use of latrine which are not yet the common practice particularly in rural settings in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, many countries had implemented albendazole campaigns which could be helpful in cutting the Taenia solium life cycle. Educating physicians and the community about cutting the life cycle of Taenia solium through better level of sanitation could contribute to reducing the burden of epilepsy in Sub-Saharan Africa.