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Development of a Species-Specific Coproantigen ELISA for Human Taenia solium Taeniasis

Taenia solium causes human neurocysticercosis and is endemic in underdeveloped countries where backyard pig keeping is common. Microscopic fecal diagnostic methods for human T. solium taeniasis are not very sensitive, and Taenia saginata and Taenia solium eggs are indistinguishable under the light microscope. Coproantigen (CoAg) ELISA methods are very sensitive, but currently only genus (Taenia) specific. This paper describes the development of a highly species-specific coproantigen ELISA test to detect T. solium intestinal taeniasis. Sensitivity was maintained using a capture antibody of rabbit IgG against T. solium adult whole worm somatic extract, whereas species specificity was achieved by utilization of an enzyme-conjugated rabbit IgG against T. solium adult excretory-secretory (ES) antigen. A known panel of positive and negative human fecal samples was tested with this hybrid sandwich ELISA. The ELISA test gave 100% specificity and 96.4% sensitivity for T. solium tapeworm carriers (N = 28), with a J index of 0.96. This simple ELISA incorporating anti-adult somatic and anti-adult ES antibodies provides the first potentially species-specific coproantigen test for human T. solium taeniasis.

Received August 18, 2008. Accepted for publication May 23, 2009.

Acknowledgments: The authors thank Helen Bradshaw and Dr. Gillian Campbell from the Cestode Zoonoses Research Group, University of Salford, the members of the Parasitic Diseases of the Nervous System Research Unit, INCN/UPCH Laboratory, for invaluable assistance, and Peruvian colleagues involved in sample collection and processing. We also thank Drs. Li Tiaoying (Sichuan CDC Chengdu, China), Toni Wandra (Ministry of Health, Jakarta, Indonesia), and Professor Akira Ito (Asahikawa Medical College, Japan) for provision of T. asiatica human fecal samples.

Financial support: This study was funded by the Burroughs Wellcome collaborative grant ("New Insights in the Epidemiology and Control of T. solium Taeniasis/Cysticercosis," c.c. 8000742). Laboratory work and research were undertaken at the Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, University of Salford, Salford, UK, and at the Parasitic Diseases of the Nervous System Research Unit, INCN/UPCH, Lima, Peru. Partial support was also provided by Grant 23981 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

^* Address correspondence to Philip S. Craig, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Peel Building, The Crescent, Salford M54WT, UK. E-mail: p.s.craig{at}salford.ac.uk

Authors’ addresses: Maria-Claudia Guezala, Humberto Zamora, and Armando E. Gonzalez, Department of Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional de San Marcos, Lima, Peru. Silvia Rodriguez and Hector H. Garcia, Department of Microbiology, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, and Cysticercosis Unit, Instituto de Ciencias Neurologicas, Lima, Peru. Alice Tembo, James C. Allan, and Philip S. Craig, Cestode Zoonoses Research Group, Parasitology and Disease Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester M54WT, UK.