BOVINE CYSTICERCOSIS AND MUNICIPAL SANITATION: A GEOSPATIAL RISK FACTOR ANALYSIS FOR THE BEEF SUPPLY CHAIN IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL

Resumen

Bovine cysticercosis (BCC) is a significant parasitic zoonosis detected during post-mortem sanitary inspection, impacting both public health and the competitiveness of the beef supply chain. In this study,  the prevalence, geospatial distribution, and risk factors associated with BCC in Parana, Southern Brazil were analyzed. Official records from the State Inspection Service (SIE) covering 1,019,339 slaughtered cattle were integrated with socioeconomic and sanitary indicators provided by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) for the 2018-2020 period. A prevalence of 0.14% (1,461/1,019,339) was observed. A dataset of 18,665 animals from affected batches (at least one case of cysticercosis was confirmed) was utilized for demographic and environmental correlations. Geospatial analysis identified high-prevalence clusters in the Central North and Southern regions. Municipalities such as Paiçandu (1.00%), Ourizona (0.75%), and Floraí (0.75%) in the Central North, along with Enéas Marques (0.66%) and Planalto (0.50%) in the South, presented the highest rates. A positive correlation (ρ=0.19, p=0.0057) was found between municipal BCC prevalence and the reliance on individual sewage solutions (septic tanks/rudimentary pits). Furthermore, host gender and lesion viability were linked, with females showing higher rates of calcified lesions, likely due to longer exposure periods. These findings underscore the role of sanitation infrastructure as a primary driver for BCC and highlight the need for integrating geospatial data into risk-based food control strategies to safeguard the beef market and public health.