The role of Onchocerca volvulus in the development of epilepsy in a rural area of Tanzania
The role of Onchocerca volvulus in the development of epilepsy in a rural area of Tanzania
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DOI：
10.1017/s0031182010000338
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发表时间：
2010-09-01
期刊：
影响因子：
2.4
通讯作者：
Winkler, Andrea Sylvia
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Koenig, Rebekka;Nassri, Amir;Winkler, Andrea Sylvia
导论.有几份报告指出，盘尾丝虫病和癫痫在非洲一些地区的发病率很高。这就提出了这些疾病是否相关的问题。因此，我们调查了坦桑尼亚盘尾丝虫病流行地区的癫痫和/或盘尾丝虫病患者。肠扭转）。方法.我们收集了300例患者的临床信息、皮肤切片和血液，以及197例患者的脑脊液（CSF）。参与者被分配到4组，包括癫痫和盘尾丝虫病患者（n=135），癫痫患者（n=61）或仅患有盘尾丝虫病的患者（n=35），以及健康个体（n=69）。检测血清中微丝蚴、抗O.扭转，O.扭转抗体指数（CSF/血清）和CSF常规参数。对皮肤剪片和CSF进行聚合酶链反应（PCR）。结果癫痫组和非癫痫组的微丝蚴密度无差异（P=0.498）。2例抗体指数升高。所有检测样本的CSF PCR均为阴性。讨论我们的研究结果并没有提供证据的关系O。肠扭转和癫痫。尽管有2名参与者的抗体指数升高，但似乎不太可能存在由微丝蚴迁移到CSF中引起的脑盘尾丝虫病。然而，迄今为止，未探索的反应与O。不能排除引起癫痫的肠扭转。
Introduction. Several reports indicate high prevalences of both onchocerciasis and epilepsy in some regions of Africa. This raises the question of whether these diseases are associated. We therefore investigated people with epilepsy and/or onchocerciasis living in an area in Tanzania endemic for Onchocerca volvulus (O. volvulus). Methods. We collected clinical information, skin snips, and blood from 300 individuals, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 197. Participants were allocated to 4 groups consisting of people with epilepsy and onchocerciasis (n=135), those with either epilepsy (n=61) or onchocerciasis only (n=35), and healthy individuals (n=69). Samples were evaluated for microfilaria, IgG(4) antibodies against O. volvulus, O. volvulus antibody index (CSF/serum), and CSF routine parameters. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on skin snips and CSF. Results. No difference was found in microfilarial density between participants with and without epilepsy (P=0.498). The antibody index was raised in 2 participants. CSF PCR was negative in all samples tested. Discussion. Our results do not give evidence of a relationship between O. volvulus and epilepsy. Despite the fact that 2 participants had raised antibody index, the existence of cerebral onchocerciasis caused by migration of microfilariae into the CSF appears unlikely. However, to date unexplored reactions to the infestation with O. volvulus causing epilepsy cannot be excluded.