BOVINE CYSTICERCOSIS PREVALENCE IN THE STATE-OF-S-PAULO, BRAZIL

A retrospective study of Cysticercus bovis in cattle raised and slaughtered in the State of S. Paulo, Brazil, during the year of 1986, was undertaken on the basis of official records of the Brazilian Meat Inspection Service. The analysis of its spacial distribution was carried out in accordance with the political-administrative division adopted by the State Government, composed of 11 Administrative Regions (ARs) and one Metropolitan Region (MR), subdivided into 42 Governmental Regions (GRs), totaling 572 municipalities. The prevalence rates of each political-administrative unit were statistically compared using the "Z" test of two proportions. From records relating to 896,654 head, 48,957 cases of cysticercosis were detected, equivalent to a prevalence of 5.5% in the State. The prevalence results were obtained for 385 municipalities, in 42 GRs, 11 ARs and in the MR. Statistically significant prevalence values were observed in 97 municipalities, in 14 GRs and 4 ARs.