Taeniasis, cysticercosis and echinococcosis/hydatidosis in Nigeria: I--prevalence of human taeniasis, cysticercosis and hydatidosis based on a retrospective analysis of hospital records.

A retrospective analysis of hospital records in 3 ecological zones of Nigeria was carried out to ascertain the prevalence of human taeniasis, cysticercosis and hydatidosis. The prevalence of Taenia infection in Sudan, Bauchi Plateau and Northern Guinea zones was 0.9%, 0.6% and 0.6%, respectively. The prevalence of human taeniasis by age and sex in the 3 ecological zones indicates that males were more often infected. Because males by habit eat more "suya" (half-grilled beef) than females, they are more likely to be exposed to Taenia saginata cysts. As for age factor, Taenia infection was more common up to the age of 40. Human hydatidosis was recorded only once in the Sudan zone and was not recorded at all in the Northern Guinea and Bauchi zones. Human cysticercosis was not documented in any of the three ecological zones covered by the survey. It is suspected that the low prevalence or the non-documentation of some of these diseases is due to poor diagnostic facilities and inefficient disease-recording system.