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DeGiorgio C, Pietsch-Escueta S, Tsang V, Corral-Leyva G, Ng L, Medina MT, Astudillo S, Padilla N, Leyva P, Martinez L, Noh J, Levine M, del Villasenor R, Sorvillo F. Sero-prevalence ofTaenia soliumCysticercosis andTaenia soliumTaeniasis in California, USA.Acta Neurol Scand 2005: 111: 84–88.© Blackwell Munksgaard 2005.Taenia soliumCysticercosis is a leading cause of epilepsy and neurological disability in the developing world. It is caused by ingestion of the eggs of the tapeworm,T. soliumTaeniasis. The prevalence of eitherT. soliumCysticercosis orT. soliumTaeniasis in the United States in populations at risk is poorly understood. The primary objectives of this study are to perform the first study of the sero-prevalence ofT. soliumCysticercosis andT. soliumTaeniasis in an at-risk community in the USA, specifically rural Southern California; identifyT. soliumTaeniasis positive individuals, and treat positive individuals for the tapewormT. soliumTaeniasis.Community based sero-prevalence study of antibodies toT. soliumCysticercosis andT. soliumTaeniasis in 449 subjects living in a federally funded, predominantly Hispanic residential community; and in two migrant farm worker camps in rural Ventura County, California, USA. For this study, fingerstick blood samples were obtained. Serum immunoblots for bothT. soliumCysticercosis andT. soliumTaeniasis were performed.The sero-prevalence ofT. soliumCysticercosis was 1.8% and the sero-prevalence ofT. soliumTaeniasis by serum immunoblot was 1.1%.Taenia soliumCysticercosis andT. soliumTaeniasis antibodies were not detected in children. The sero-prevalence ofT. soliumTaeniasis was highest in the migrant farm worker community. Handwashing frequency was correlated withT. soliumTaeniasis sero-positivity.The sero-prevalence ofT. soliumCysticercosis andT. soliumTaeniasis in this population, as detected by serum immunoblot, approximates the prevalence in some endemic areas of Latin America. Importantly, most patients likely had prior exposure, not active infection. This study establishes for the first time, the relative sero-prevalence ofT. soliumCysticercosis andT. soliumTaeniasis in at-risk populations in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual, family, and group counseling service recommendations made by California's diagnostic and treatment center staff to a clinical sample of Alzheimer's disease clients (N = 822) are examined using logistic regression. Predictors included the patients' enabling, need, and predisposing characteristics. Analysis shows that staff tend to consider fewer patient characteristics, and rely more on assessed family problems and payment source when deciding whether they recommend counseling to their patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]