Abstract

FERRER, Elizabeth. Taeniasis/cysticercosis: Advances in immunological and molecular diagnosis. Bol Mal Salud Amb [online]. 2006, vol.46, n.1, pp.1-13. ISSN 1690-4648.

Taeniasis is a parasitic infection caused by the adult of Taenia solium and T. saginata, while cysticercosis is caused by the larval stage (Cysticercus) of these parasites in intermediary hosts; humans can accidentally acquire cysticercosis. Taeniasis/ cysticercosis causes serious public health and economic problems in endemic areas of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, in addition to other areas as a result of the travel and migration. Neurocysticercosis is the most important parasitic disease of the central nervous system. Taeniasis diagnosis is obtained generally by stool exams, whereas cysticercosis diagnosis is carried out by parasitological methods, imaging techniques and several immunological tests. Conventional methods of diagnosis have serious limitations, such as poor sensitivity and low specificity, are not standardized properly and are based on the parasitic material which is difficult to obtain. At present new technical tools are being used that allow a better diagnosis of these diseases, for example, monoclonal antibodies, recombinant antigens, synthetic peptides, PCR, whose manipulation is easily standardized and independent of the sources of the always valuable parasitic material.

Keywords : taeniasis; cysticercosis; diagnosis; recombinant antigen; synthetic peptide; PCR.