Summary A preliminary survey of porcine cysticercosis was conducted at a large abattoir in each of the five countries in Central America and in Panama during a 3-year period. Over one-half million swine were slaughtered at the six abattoirs. The number of animals condemned for cysticercosis was 11,628 and for all causes 17,100. Sixty-eight percent of the condemned hogs had cysticercosis. The prevalence of porcine cysticercosis in these Latin American countries ranged from 1.75 to 2.78 percent. The economic loss from cysticercosis in these six abattoirs alone exceeded one-half million dollars. Data on the prevalence of human intestinal cestodiases in Guatemala and of human cysticercosis in Guatemala and El Salvador are presented for correlative purposes. The magnitude of the problem of porcine cysticercosis in Central America and Panama is such that it has significant economic, nutritional and medical impact in this area.