Spatiotemporal distribution and economic loss associated with bovine cysticercosis and human taeniasis in Ethiopia

A metacestode stage (bovine cysticercosis) and adult stage Taenia saginata, accounted for zoonotic and economic losses from organ contamination and treatment cost. The objective of this paper is to assess the spatiotemporal distribution and economic loss from bovine cysticercosis and human taeniasis with treatment approach in different parts of Ethiopia. All available published research articles from Ethiopia on the disease were collected. The data were assessed using the current regional administrative, the locality and chronology of the reports for prevalence and economic loss with treatment trend. Prevalence ranging from 1.9% at Addis Ababa City to as high as of 26.3% Hawasa-SNNPR using postmortem examination. However, one study confirmed 92.7% of 41 isolates as bovine cysticercosis using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Teaniasis was ranged from 7.8% in Modjo-Oromia to as high as 89.4% in Addis Ababa City. Except for 17.9% at Addis Ababa City, 29.0% at Mekele-Tigray and 19.0% at Halaba Kulito -SNNPR teaniasis in Ethiopia were greater than 30% over 2001-2018 years. Questionnaire survey and retrospective data were the major tools used for teaniasis reporting either pharmaceutical and/or traditional (herbs) medicines were used for teaniasis treatments. Niclosamide, mebendazole and praziquantel were pharmaceutical teaniacidal drugs used in Ethiopia until the years of 2009, uses of albendazole begins from 2011 to date (2018 year). Hagenica abyssinia "Kosso/Heto" flowers is still widely used in Ethiopia in that it contains Kosso-toxin, closely related to folic acid, are responsible for some cases of hepatic carcinoma and blindness. Only few data (reports) were available on spatiotemporal economic loss associated with bovine cysticercosis and Taenia saginata in Ethiopia showing an overall 4,052,278.16 ETB (212,202.76 USD) from five reports. Highest economic loss (88,500.00 USD) was registered at Yirgalem-SNNPR [2005-2009]. Study at Kombolcha-Amhara region during 2016 accounted 1,841,311.00ETB (73,652.44 USD) from C. bovis and teaniasis treatment cost. Total cost for the used pharmaceutical drugs accounted 921,112.00ETB over 2005-2016. The maximum drug expenditure was reported during the year 2013. Thus, bovine cysticercosis and Taenia saginata in Ethiopia indicating the health and economic challenges. It needs to Taenia saginata cycle interruption via stopping human open defecation with assessing the dynamics of the disease in the country.