International team aims to tackle pig parasite

Researchers are undertaking a £2.3 million collaboration to develop strategies for controlling Taenia solium, a tapeworm carried by pigs.

The Sustainable Strategies for Taenia solium Interventions (SUSTAIN) Uganda project will focus on Northern Uganda, a region where free-roaming pig farming, poor sanitation, and limited healthcare access create conditions for high transmission of the parasite.

It will seek to inform ways to manage the parasite, which when spread to humans can cause a neurological condition known as neurocysticercosis, linked to epilepsy. 

The disease has a disproportionate impact on marginalised communities, causing lifelong disabilities and economic losses exceeding US$75 million in Uganda.

One Health approach

The five-year project sets out to use a One Health approach – encompassing the health of people, animals and the environment – integrating sustainable interventions in human and pig populations with the goal of informing policy, strengthening local health systems and supporting long-term disease control.

To break the cycle of infection, the team from UK and international institutions will evaluate the impact of integrating human and pig-targeted interventions. 

A research trial will compare mass drug administration of a drug used to treat parasite infections in human populations, with and without the addition of pig dewormer medication in livestock.

Disease transmission modelling and economic analysis will assess the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of this combined approach.

Impact and policy

The project, funded by the Medical Research Council, aims to generate robust evidence on the effectiveness and economic benefits of implementing holistic control strategies.

Findings will contribute to the World Health Organization’s roadmap for neglected tropical diseases, support Uganda’s Ministry of Health in securing donations of antiparasitic medication and strengthen One Health collaborations between the health and agriculture sectors.

The project will also focus on engagement and capacity strengthening across communities, healthcare providers, and policymakers to ensure long-term sustainability and adoption of the intervention.

SUSTAIN-Uganda represents an important step towards tackling Taenia solium and advancing One Health solutions for zoonotic diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, the research team says.

The project is a collaboration between the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Gulu University and Makerere University in Uganda, Imperial College London and the non-governmental organisation Unlimit Health, based in London.