Seroprevalence and distribution of bovine and porcine cysticercosis in rural areas of Mpumalanga province, South Africa

Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Seroprevalence and distribution of bovine and porcine cysticercosis in rural areas of Mpumalanga province, South Africa
 
Creator Ahmed, Usman A. Mlangeni, Malitaba A. Tsotetsi-Khambule, Ana M.
 
Subject Veterinary Science; Parasitology; Zoonotic Diseases; Epidemiology; Livestock Health; Public Health; One Health; Diagnostic Methods; Rural Veterinary Surveillance; Veterinary Parasitology cysticercosis; Taenia spp.; seroprevalence; cattle; pigs; zoonosis; ELISA
Description Cysticercosis is a neglected zoonotic disease caused by the larval stages of Taenia asiatica, T. saginata and T. solium. Its prevalence varies across regions, with limited data available in South Africa, particularly in Mpumalanga province. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and distribution of bovine and porcine cysticercosis in rural communities of Mpumalanga province, South Africa. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from 2021 to 2022 in Ehlanzeni and Nkangala districts. Blood samples were collected from 384 cattle and 336 pigs and analysed using the Apdia® cysticercosis AgELISA kit. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds of infection, with statistical significance set at p  0.05. Overall seroprevalence of bovine cysticercosis was 35.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 30.5–40.2), while porcine cysticercosis was 4.8% (95% CI: 2.8–7.6). Seroprevalence varied across districts and municipalities in Mpumalanga province, with evidence of spatial heterogeneity in both cattle and pigs. The higher prevalence in cattle is likely because of free-range grazing practices, increasing exposure to Taenia-contaminated environments. Pigs, mostly penned, had lower infection rates.Contribution: This study provides the first baseline data on bovine and porcine cysticercosis in Mpumalanga province, highlighting the need for improved livestock management, sanitation, farmer education and targeted surveillance to reduce transmission.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor Usman Apeh Ahmed, University of South Africa Women in Research Program, University of South Africa Mpumalanga Animal Health Technicians Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
Date 2026-04-30
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Cross-sectional study; Serological survey; AgELISA diagnostic method; Epidemiological analysis; Logistic regression
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/ojvr.v93i1.2261
 
Source Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research; Vol 93, No 1 (2026); 6 pages 2219-0635 0030-2465
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://ojvr.org/index.php/ojvr/article/view/2261/2816 https://ojvr.org/index.php/ojvr/article/view/2261/2817 https://ojvr.org/index.php/ojvr/article/view/2261/2818 https://ojvr.org/index.php/ojvr/article/view/2261/2819
 
Coverage Mpumalanga Province, South Africa; Ehlanzeni District; Nkangala District; Bushbuckridge Municipality; Mbombela Municipality; Nkomazi Municipality 2021–2022; Contemporary livestock health surveillance Cattle; Pigs; Rural livestock; Free-range and penned animals; Communal farming systems
Rights Copyright (c) 2026 Usman A. Ahmed, Malitaba A. Mlangeni, Ana M. Tsotetsi-Khambule https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
ADVERTISEMENT