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CystiHuman: A model of human neurocysticercosis.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Bonnet, G; Pizzitutti, F; Gonzales-Gustavson, EA; Gabriël, S; Pan, WK; Garcia, HH; Bustos, JA; Vilchez, P; O'Neal, SE ...
Published in: PLoS computational biology
May 2022

The Taenia solium tapeworm is responsible for cysticercosis, a neglected tropical disease presenting as larvae in the body of a host following taenia egg ingestion. Neurocysticercosis (NCC), the name of the disease when it affects the human central nervous system, is a major cause of epilepsy in developing countries, and can also cause intracranial hypertension, hydrocephalus and death. Simulation models can help identify the most cost-effective interventions before their implementation. Modelling NCC should enable the comparison of a broad range of interventions, from treatment of human taeniasis (presence of an adult taenia worm in the human intestine) to NCC mitigation. It also allows a focus on the actual impact of the disease, rather than using proxies as is the case for other models.This agent-based model is the first model that simulates human NCC and associated pathologies. It uses the output of another model, CystiAgent, which simulates the evolution of pig cysticercosis and human taeniasis, adding human and cyst agents, including a model of cyst location and stage, human symptoms, and treatment. CystiHuman also accounts for delays in the appearance of NCC-related symptoms. It comprises three modules detailing cyst development, seizure probability and timing, and intracranial hypertension/hydrocephalus, respectively. It has been implemented in Java MASON and calibrated in three endemic villages in Peru, then applied to another village (Rica Playa) to compare simulation results with field data in that village.Despite limitations in available field data, parameter values found through calibration are plausible and simulated outcomes in Rica Playa are close to actual values for NCC prevalence and the way it increases with age and cases with single lesions. Initial simulations further suggest that short-term interventions followed by a rapid increase in taeniasis prevalence back to original levels may have limited impacts on NCC prevalence.

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Published In

PLoS computational biology

DOI

EISSN

1553-7358

ISSN

1553-734X

Publication Date

May 2022

Volume

18

Issue

5

Start / End Page

e1010118

Related Subject Headings

  • Taeniasis
  • Swine
  • Neurocysticercosis
  • Intracranial Hypertension
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Humans
  • Cysts
  • Cysticercosis
  • Bioinformatics
  • Animals
 

Citation

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Bonnet, G., Pizzitutti, F., Gonzales-Gustavson, E. A., Gabriël, S., Pan, W. K., Garcia, H. H., … Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru, . (2022). CystiHuman: A model of human neurocysticercosis. PLoS Computational Biology, 18(5), e1010118. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010118
Bonnet, Gabrielle, Francesco Pizzitutti, Eloy A. Gonzales-Gustavson, Sarah Gabriël, William K. Pan, Hector H. Garcia, Javier A. Bustos, Percy Vilchez, Seth E. O’Neal, and Seth E. Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru. “CystiHuman: A model of human neurocysticercosis.PLoS Computational Biology 18, no. 5 (May 2022): e1010118. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010118.
Bonnet G, Pizzitutti F, Gonzales-Gustavson EA, Gabriël S, Pan WK, Garcia HH, et al. CystiHuman: A model of human neurocysticercosis. PLoS computational biology. 2022 May;18(5):e1010118.
Bonnet, Gabrielle, et al. “CystiHuman: A model of human neurocysticercosis.PLoS Computational Biology, vol. 18, no. 5, May 2022, p. e1010118. Epmc, doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010118.
Bonnet G, Pizzitutti F, Gonzales-Gustavson EA, Gabriël S, Pan WK, Garcia HH, Bustos JA, Vilchez P, O’Neal SE, Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru. CystiHuman: A model of human neurocysticercosis. PLoS computational biology. 2022 May;18(5):e1010118.

Published In

PLoS computational biology

DOI

EISSN

1553-7358

ISSN

1553-734X

Publication Date

May 2022

Volume

18

Issue

5

Start / End Page

e1010118

Related Subject Headings

  • Taeniasis
  • Swine
  • Neurocysticercosis
  • Intracranial Hypertension
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Humans
  • Cysts
  • Cysticercosis
  • Bioinformatics
  • Animals