Authors: Hernández, M.¹; Gonzalez, L. M.²; Fleury, A.³; Saenz, B.¹; Parkhouse, R. M. E.⁴; Harrison, L. J. S.⁵; Garate, T.²; Sciutto, E.¹

Source: Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Volume 102, Number 4, June 2008 , pp. 317-323(7)

Publisher: Maney Publishing

Abstract:

Human neurocysticercosis (NC) is caused by Taenia solium larvae lodged in the central nervous system. This disease is usually diagnosed by radiology but the results are not always clear-cut and so immunological assays are often also used. A semi-nested PCR, based on the non-coding HDP2 sequence of T. saginata, has now been developed for detecting DNA from T. solium cysticerci and confirming NC. This PCR, which amplifies a 171-bp T. solium product, allowed the specific detection of just 174 attograms of T. solium DNA.

The efficacy of the PCR was tested using cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from neurological patients, including 46 confirmed Mexican cases of NC and 32 patients from non-endemic Spain. Eighteen of the confirmed cases [including 10 (71%) of the 14 with vesicular extraparenchymal cysticerci and four (17%) of the 24 with damaged cysticerci] and two (33%) of the six patients with 'uncertain' diagnosis (in whom a diagnosis of NC could not be established by radiological and immunological studies) were found PCR-positive. The 36 patients known to have neurological problems other than NC were found PCR-negative.

The HDP2 PCR offers a new tool in the diagnosis of NC and in exploring the pathogenesis of this serious disease.

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/136485908X278856

Affiliations: 1: Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, DF 04510, Mexico 2: Servicio de Parasitología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, 28220 Majadahonda, Spain 3: Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, SSA, Insurgentes Sur 3877, Colonia La Fama, México, DF 14269, Mexico 4: Gulbenkian Institute for Science, Rua Quinta Grande 6, P.O. Box 2780-156, Oeiras, Portugal 5: University of Edinburgh, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Division of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Easter Bush, Roslin EH25 9RG, U.K.

Publication date: 2008-06-01

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• In 2012 Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology changed its name to Pathogens and Global Health to reflect changes and developments in the subject area. View the issues of Pathogens and Global Health available online..
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