Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 69(2), 2003, pp. 223-227
Copyright © 2003 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
SHORT REPORT: LIMITED AND SHORT-LASTING HUMORAL RESPONSE IN TAENIA SOLIUM: SEROPOSITIVE HOUSEHOLDS COMPARED WITH PATIENTS WITH NEUROCYSTICERCOSIS
ANTONIO MEZA-LUCAS,
LAURA CARMONA-MIRANDA,
ROBERTO C. GARCÍA-JERÓNIMO,
ALEJANDRA TORRERO-MIRANDA,
GERMÁN GONZÁLEZ-HIDALGO,
GUILLERMO LÓPEZ-CASTELLANOS, AND
DOLORES CORREA
Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos, Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, Mexico; Hospital Regional de Zona No. 25, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico; Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, Mexico
ABSTRACT
Epidemiologic data suggest that 3040% of Taenia solium-seropositive people become spontaneously negative without acquiring cysticercosis. To compare the responses of these individuals with those of patients with neurocysticercosis, we screened seropositive persons among family members of 16 patients. We searched for specific antibodies in patients and their 118 households by an enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot assay using specific glycoproteins of T. solium metacestodes. We found six seropositive individuals without neurocysticercosis among members of four families. The matching patients were young, harbored viable cysts, and had short evolution of disease. The baseline response of healthy seropositive individuals was scarce and showed a low frequency of antibodies against glycoproteins GP39-42 and GP24, which are immunodominant in patients with neurocysticercosis. Moreover, they became spontaneously negative in few months. The response of patients was heterogeneous as shown in other studies. The results of this work support a highly dynamic host-parasite immunologic interaction and suggest individual susceptibility or level of exposure among family members.
Received January 28, 2003.
Accepted for publication May 29, 2003.
Acknowledgments: We thank Dr. Victor C. W. Tsang and his group at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta, GA) for training in the isolation of Taenia solium glycoprotein and for quality monitoring of EITB strips and control serum samples.
Authors addresses: Antonio Meza-Lucas and Roberto C. García-Jerónimo, Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos, SSA, Carpio 470, Col. Sto. Tomás, Mexico City 11340, DF, Mexico, Telephone: 52-55-5341-4880/4760/4953, extension 260. Laura Carmona-Miranda, Alejandra Torrero-Miranda, Germán González-Hidalgo, and Guillermo López-Castellanos, Hospital General Regional No. 25, Calz. Ignacio Zaragoza 1840, Col. Juan Escutia, México City 09100, DF, Mexico, Telephone: 52-55-5745-6508/6282/6391/6532. Dolores Correa, 8° Piso, Torre de Investigación, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, SSA, Av Insurgentes Sur 3700-C, Col. Insurgentes-Cuicuilco, Mexico City, 04530, DF, Mexico, Telephone: 52-55-5606-7223 or 5606-0002, extensions 455 or 458, Fax: 52-55- 5606-9455, E-mail: mariadol{at}yahoo.com or mcorreaa{at}sni.conacyt.mx.
Reprint requests: Dolores Correa, 8° Piso, Torre de Investigación, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, SSA, Av Insurgentes Sur 3700-C, Col. Insurgentes-Cuicuilco, Mexico City, 04530, DF, Mexico.
Copyright © 2003 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.