Citation

Tran DS, Odermatt P, Le Oanh T, Huc P, Phoumindr N, Ito A, Druet-Cabanac M, Preux PM, Strobel M. Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health 2007; 38(3): 537-542.

Affiliation

Institut de la Francophonie pour la Médecine Tropicale, Vientiane, Lao PDR.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, SEAMO Regional Tropical Medicine and Public Health Network)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

17877231

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the major etiologic categories of epilepsy in a rural district of the Lao PDR. Thirty-one newly identified patients with confirmed active epilepsy were compared with 124 controls, matched for gender, age and village residence. Risk factors for epilepsy were investigated with particular focus on cysticercosis serology. A history of head trauma (OR=4.7, p=0.05), family history of epilepsy (OR=12.8, p=0.03), and the use of human feces to fertilize domestic vegetable gardens (OR=4.9, p=0.04) were significantly associated with epilepsy. The study did not confirm any direct relation between epilepsy and cysticercosis serology. The cysticercosis seroprevalence was nil in the epilepsy group. This is the first study in the Lao PDR on epilepsy risk factors representing important data for the subregion. Parasitic, environmental, and behavioral factors of this traditional population deserve further studies to explain the missing link between epilepsy and cysticercosis.

Language: en