Reports of the Seroepidemiologic Survey for Human Sparganosis in Mto wa Mbu Division, Monduli District, Tanzania

Sparganum is a plerocercoid of pseudophyllidean tapeworm of Spirometra species. Human
sparganosis has been reported in Northern Tanzania. A seroepidemiologic survey was undertaken to
detect anti-sparganum specific IgG antibodies in serum of normal inhabitants of Mto wa Mbu, Monduli
District, Tanzania. Sera were tested by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for the
antisparganum antibodies. Positive rate for antisparganum antibody in 185 subjects was 116 (62.7%).
Out of these 17 (9.2) were adult males, 80 (43.2%) were adult females and 19 (10.3%) were children
(<18 years). Data for the questionnaire for all 116 ELISA positive inhabitants revealed that had history
of eating game meat and drinking water from running springs. The data revealed that ELISA would be
useful to find infected cases among normal inhabitants at sparganosis endemic areas.