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Table 3 Pig-associated zoonoses suspected to be endemic in Southeast Asia that can cause epilepsy and other neurological conditions

From: Cultural drivers and health-seeking behaviours that impact on the transmission of pig-associated zoonoses in Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Disease

Aetiological agent

Transmission route

Host animals in SE Asia

Estimated DALYs lost per year

Risk factors

Japanese encephalitis (JE)

Viral (JE virus)

Vector borne: Culex tritaeniorhynchus

Waterfowl (ducks, herons, egrets), pigs, horses

709,000 for JE; 7, 141 000 (6,148,000–8,274,000) for encephalitis

Vector population and wet season; rice agriculture production and its proximity of the household; pig husbandry systems

Taenia solium taeniasis-cysticercosis

Parasitic (T. solium)

Consumption of raw/undercooked pork or vegetable products; ingestion of viable cysts from infected pork, faecal-oral route (taenia eggs)

Pigs

503,000 (379,000–663,000)

Food preparation and consumption practices; poor hygiene and sanitation; pig husbandry systems; use of human faeces as fertiliser for vegetable gardens; poor meat inspection

Streptococcus suis

Bacterial (S. suis)

Consumption of raw/undercooked pork products; direct contact with carrier or infected pigs/pig products

Pigs mainly; also wild boars, horses, dogs, cats

Unknown for S. Suis; 9, 563 000 (8,108,000–10,858,000) for meningitisi

Food preparation and consumption practices; swine contact in high risk occupations; slaughter practices

  1. iMeningitis other than pneumococcal meningitis, H. influenzae type B meningitis and meningococcal infection.