Evaluation of tongue inspection and serology for diagnosis of Taenia solium cysticercosis in swine: usefulness of ELISA using purified glycoproteins and recombinant antigen

Vet Parasitol. 2003 Feb 27;111(4):309-22. doi: 10.1016/s0304-4017(02)00383-7.

Abstract

Evaluation of serology using glycoproteins (GPs) purified by preparative isoelectric focusing (pH 8.8) and recombinant chimeric antigen (RecTs) of Taenia solium was carried out using (1) blood samples on filter papers from pigs infected with different doses of eggs of T. solium in Mexico, (2) serum samples from pigs found infected naturally in Vietnam and Ecuador and (3) serum samples from pigs suspected to be infected with T. solium by tongue inspection in Tanzania. Antibody responses (IgG) were detectable in experimentally infected pigs confirmed harbouring 16 or more cysts at necropsy from 30 days after egg inoculation. One of three pigs naturally infected and harbouring 2.5 cysts/kg muscle and most of pigs harbouring=5.0 cysts/kg were also seropositive by ELISA. Although pigs may be infected with other taeniid species such as Taenia hydatigena, pigs harbouring this parasite were negative in ELISA. Approximately, 76 and 78% of sera from pigs having nodule(s) in the tongue (positive tongue inspection) were serologically positive by both ELISA and immunoblot, respectively. Furthermore, approximately 34 and 18% of sera from pigs having no nodules in the tongue (negative tongue inspection) were also seropositive by ELISA and immunoblot, respectively. ELISA using the two antigens was more sensitive than immunoblot and reliable for differentiation of pigs infected with cysticerci of T. solium from those either uninfected or infected with other taeniid species. Pigs without nodule by tongue inspection should be checked serologically in endemic areas.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Helminth / blood
  • Antigens, Helminth / immunology*
  • Cysticercosis / diagnosis*
  • Cysticercosis / immunology
  • Cysticercosis / parasitology
  • Cysticercosis / veterinary*
  • Ecuador
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Glycoproteins / immunology
  • Helminth Proteins / immunology
  • Mexico
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Swine
  • Swine Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Swine Diseases / immunology
  • Swine Diseases / parasitology
  • Swine Diseases / pathology*
  • Taenia solium / immunology
  • Taenia solium / isolation & purification*
  • Tongue / pathology*
  • Vietnam

Substances

  • Antibodies, Helminth
  • Antigens, Helminth
  • Glycoproteins
  • Helminth Proteins