Onchocerciasis and epilepsy. Epidemiological survey in Mali
Farnarier, G.; Diop, S.; Coulibaly, B.; Arborio, S.; Dabo, A.; Diakite, M.; Traore, S.; Banou, A.; Nimaga, K.; Vaz, T.; Doumbo, O.
Medecine Tropicale Revue du Corps de Sante Colonial 60(2): 151-155
2000
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-682X PMID: 11100441 Document Number: 521690
An epidemiological survey of 5243 inhabitants from 18 villages in Mali, classified according to the endemicity of onchocerciasis, was carried out to investigate a possible relationship between onchocerciasis (Onchocerca volvulus) and epilepsy. The survey included the following aspects: census taking, socioeconomic data, screening for epilepsy, clinical examination, laboratory testing to detect parasites in stools and urine, and a skin snip test for onchocerciasis. Each epileptic was matched with 2 controls. The crude prevalence of epilepsy was 13.35 per 1000 (n=70). The survey provided a number of valuable demographic insights concerning age at onset of epilepsy, type of seizure activity during seizure, and personal and family medical history. A transverse study showed that the prevalence of epilepsy was not significantly higher (P=9.09) in zones of high endemicity of onchocerciasis (16.1 per 1000) than in zones of low endemicity (10.8 per 1000). Case-control findings showed evidence of onchocerciasis in 22.4% of epileptics and 21.7% of controls (odds ratio=1.02 IC 95%: 0.4-2.19, not significant). Various risk factors, including genetic factors and low socioeconomic status, could explain the trend toward a higher incidence of epilepsy as well as higher morbidity rates in zones of high endemicity of onchocerciasis.