1. Brucellosis diagnostic capacity present at CIZ


2. Diagnostic network monitored and quality controlled by CIZ


3. Zoning and/or compartmentalisation of country in view of control strategies


4. Bovine brucellosis epidemiology understood


5. Bovine brucellosis control monitored


6. Collaboration between CIZ and national epilepsy and neurocysticerco-sis experts established and CIZ recognised as reference study group on epidemiology and control of the disease. Trained medical doctor employed full-time at CIZ and medical expertise on zoonoses developed.


7. Public health and socio-economical impacts of porcine and human cysticercosis evaluated


8. Control programme assessed in the field

Brucellosis diagnostic testing is now routinely carried out at CIZ: Rose Bengal Plate Test (RB), Buffered Plate Agglutination Test (BPAT), indirect Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (iELISA) and Wright's Slow Agglutination test (SAT). Problems were encountered when implementing iELISA, but these were largely overcome through systematic testing of the various parameters. The only parameter still to be optimised is the antigen used. Lenin Ron-Garrido joined the CIZ research team to deal with data management, statistical analysis and simulation modelling. The map representing the various brucellosis prevalence zones is constantly updated as new data become available. Longitudinal studies to evaluate the effects of different control regimes were set up.

In the field of cysticercosis, an epidemiological study for the estimation of the proportion of neurocysticercosis-related neurological disorders and a longitudinal sero-epidemiological study have started in 2008. These studies aim to estimate the impact of cysticercosis on Public Health and will allow an estimation of the socio-economic and health burdens of the disease in Ecuador. In this respect, Pablo Curay has joined the research team of CIZ to develop the medical diagnostic capacities of the centre and to conduct PhD research in the field. The study area has been prospected for the presence of the main risk factors for Taenia solium transmission and the first sampling procedure and medical examinations are planned for June 2009.