Taenia solium IgG ELISA

Taenia solium is a tapeworm of 2-7 m in length which resides in the small intestine of humans but also other animal species (monkeys, hamsters). The tapeworms produce proglottids (less than 1,000, and each with 50,000 eggs) which mature, become gravid, detach from the tapeworm, and migrate to the anus or are passed in the stool. The eggs contained in the gravid proglottids and passed with the faeces can survive for months to years in the environment. After ingestion of a suitable intermediate host (pigs and other animals, including humans) the eggs release the oncosphere, invade the intestinal wall and migrate to the striated muscles, into the brain, liver and other tissues of the host where they develop in cysticerci. In the human intestine, a cysticercus develops over 2 months into an adult tapeworm, which can survive for up to 25 years. The important parasitic infection caused by Taenia solium is cysticercosis which may involve the eye and the central nervous system. The swine tapeworm Taenia solium is worldwide in distribution. Prevalence is higher in poorer communities where humans live in close contact with pigs and eat undercooked pork, and is very rare in Muslim countries. The main symptom of Taeniasis (only mild) is often the passage (passive) of proglottids. The most important feature of Taeniasis solium is the risk of development of Cysticercosis. Infection may be identified by:

• Microscopy: identification of eggs and proglottids in faeces (taeniid eggs are morphologically not distinguishable from those of Echinococcus and Multiceps)
• Serology: Detection of antibodies by ELISA Diagnosis of cysticercosis usually requires multiple methods such as radiography and serology.

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