Seroprevalence, spatial clustering, and gender-associated risk factors of porcine cysticercosis in backyard pigs from the high Andean region of Perú: A One Health approach

Vet World Vol.19 February-2026 Article - 1

Research Article

Veterinary World, 19(2): 469-480

https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2026.469-480

Aldo Alim Valderrama Pomé¹, Martin Equicio Pineda Serruto¹, William Marcelino Quispe Paredes², Clemente Ochoa Cáceres³, and Nathaly Velarde Warthon⁴

1. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Micaela Bastidas National University of Apurímac, Abancay, Perú.

2. National Institute of Health, Lima, Perú.

3. National Agrarian Health Service of Apurímac, Abancay, Perú.

4. Regional Health Directorate of Apurímac, Abancay, Perú.

Background and Aim: Porcine cysticercosis caused by Taenia solium remains a neglected zoonotic disease in high-altitude Andean regions, where backyard pig-rearing, limited sanitation, and close human–animal–environment interactions promote transmission. Pigs serve as effective sentinels of environmental contamination and offer a practical surveillance proxy for the taeniasis/cysticercosis complex. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of porcine cysticercosis, identify associated risk factors, and characterize spatial clustering of infection in backyard pigs in the José María Arguedas district, Apurímac, Perú, using a One Health approach.

Materials and Methods: A quantitative, observational, analytical, cross-sectional study was carried out from April to December 2024. Blood samples were collected from 245 backyard pigs across 49 households and tested for anti-T. solium antibodies using the enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) assay. Data on pig and owner characteristics, husbandry practices, sanitation, and knowledge of cysticercosis were gathered through structured questionnaires. Geospatial coordinates of households were recorded and analyzed with geographic information systems (GIS) employing inverse distance weighting interpolation to identify infection hotspots. Associations were assessed using both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

Results: The overall seroprevalence of porcine cysticercosis was 14.7% (36/245; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 10.1–19.3). Significant spatial clustering was seen, with the Checche locality showing the highest seroprevalence at 60% (p < 0.01), indicating a hyperendemic micro-focus. Univariate analysis revealed associations between porcine cysticercosis and the pig owner's sex (p < 0.05) as well as awareness that humans can be infected (p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression identified only the pig owner's sex as an independent risk factor, with pigs raised by women having higher odds of infection (Odds ratio = 3.2; 95% CI: 1.3–8.2; p = 0.015). No significant links were found with pig-level characteristics.

Conclusion: This study offers the first combined serological and geospatial assessment of porcine cysticercosis in the José María Arguedas district. The results reveal moderate endemicity, localized transmission hotspots, and an important gender aspect in disease risk. Combining EITB diagnostics with GIS-based mapping within a One Health framework provides a scalable surveillance model to support targeted interventions, health education, especially among women farmers, and sanitation improvements in high-risk Andean areas.

Keywords: backyard pigs, cysticercosis, geographic information system, One Health, Perú, porcine seroprevalence, Taenia solium, taeniasis, zoonotic disease.

How to cite this article: Valderrama Pomé AA, Pineda Serruto ME, Quispe Paredes WM, Ochoa Cáceres C, Velarde Warthon N. Seroprevalence, spatial clustering, and gender-associated risk factors of porcine cysticercosis in backyard pigs from the high Andean region of Perú: A One Health approach. Vet. World, 2026;19(2):469-480.

Received: 08-08-5025 Accepted: 18-12-2025 Published online: 10-02-2026

Corresponding author: Aldo Alim Valderrama Pomé E-mail: avalderrama@unamba.edu.pe

DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2026.469-480

Copyright: Valderrama, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.