Cysticercosis in an urban black South African community: prevalence and risk factors.

Cysticercosis still represents a significant health problem in developing communities, despite supposed improvements in sanitation and personal hygiene. An ELISA for Cysticercosis antibodies was performed on serum from 230 random adult admissions to Baragwanath Hospital. Seventeen patients were seropositive giving a prevalence of 7.39% for this group of urban black South Africans. Twenty-one patients with documented cerebral cysticercosis were selected in order to evaluate risk factors for cysticercosis. Of the risk factors considered only a history of tapeworm infestation appeared to be significant. Even urbanisation has not resulted in n reduction in the prevalence of Cysticercosis and it appears that the disease continues to be endemic in this developing community.