Multiple parasitic infections as risk factors of active convulsive epilepsy

The main objective of the study was to investigate the prevalence of parasitic infections and the association between these parasitic infections and the development of active convulsive epilepsy (ACE) in Ifakara district of Tanzania. Results from the tests for detection of the parasitic infections were analysed statistically by logistic regression to determine statistical odds ratio with a P value of ≤ 0.05 being considered significant. Logistic regression was also used to model the association between parasitic infections’ antibody titres and ACE as well as the relative risk of interaction on multiple parasitic infections. Out of the 528 participants the prevalence of the parasitic infections under investigation was; Cysticercosis (17.1/1000), Toxoplasmosis (687.5/1000), Toxocariasis (341/1000), Onchocerciasis (316.3/1000) and Plasmodium falciparum infection (969.7/1000). The findings showed an increase in antibody levels with age in both cases and controls for O. volvulus, T. canis, T. gondii and P. falciparum. It was established that significant associations with ACE included exposure to O. volvulus, exposure to either larval or adult stages of T. solium in Ifakara, exposure to T. canisin Ifakara, T. gondii in Ifakara. ACE was associated with high antibody levels to O. volvulus, T. canis and T. gondii whereby high antibody levels were significantly associated with increased prevalence of ACE for O. volvulus, T. canis and T. gondii. For T. canis, O. volvulus and T. gondii the OR were greater than estimated for the seropositivity outcome.