Infection with versus Exposure to Taenia solium: What Do Serological Test Results Tell Us?

Abstract

Taenia solium cysticercosis is an endemic zoonosis in many developing countries. Serological tests are the most appropriate diagnostic tools to understand the transmission dynamics of the parasite, but the performances of these methods in such a setting are not known. A south Ecuadorian human population living in an endemic area was tested using three common serological tests. Because none of them is a gold standard, a Bayesian Latent Class analysis was used to estimate the test characteristics. Two definitions of a case were considered to differentiate between prevalence of current infection and prior exposure to the parasite. Differences between the performances of the same test in function of the definition of a case were observed. This study shows that test results and prior information should be interpreted carefully in a Bayesian analysis framework, particularly when the latter is based on clinical studies.

Successful Antiparasitic Treatment for Cysticercosis is Associated with a Fast and Marked Reduction of Circulating Antigen Levels in a Naturally Infected Pig Model

“…Also, antibodies persist long after parasite clearance. [7][8][9][10] These drawbacks leave physicians dependent on imaging examinations, which are expensive and poorly available in endemic villages. In pigs, antibody detecting tests have similar limitations than in humans.…”

Complexities in using sentinel pigs to study Taenia solium transmission dynamics under field conditions

“…In addition to the possible influence of cross-reactions, Praet et al (2010) highlighted the fact that the EITB assay is not able to discriminate between infection and exposure, as the presence of a certain antibody merely indicates previous contact with a specific antigen, irrespective of the current presence of this antigen. Optimally, interpretation of EITB results should therefore be done in view of the exact location and moment of expression of the seven glycoproteins.…”

Seroprevalence of Zoonotic Parasites in Pigs Slaughtered in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal

“…cysticercal antigens represent current infections with viable cysticerci, whereas anti-Taenia spp. antibodies reflect exposure, but not necessarily current infection (Praet et al 2010). Aborted infections seem to be a common phenomenon in the transmission dynamics of Taenia spp.…”