Solium cysticercosis

Taenia solium Cysticercosis pork tapeworm disease... 

A single 2 g dose of niclosamide results in cure rates of over 85% for D latum and about 95% for T saginata. It is probably equally effective against T solium. Cysticercosis can theoretically occur after treatment of T solium infections, because viable ova are released into the gut lumen after digestion of segments, but no such cases have been reported. 

Rajshekhar, V., Joshi, D.D., Doanh, N.Q., van De, N. and Xiaonong, Z. (2003) Taenia solium/cysticercosis in Asia epidemiology, impact and issues. Acta Tropica 87, 53-60. 

Garcia, H.H., Gonzales, A.E., Evans, A.C, Gilman, R.H. and Cysticercosis working group in Peru (2003) Taenia solium cysticercosis. Lancet 362, 547-556. 

Lightowlers, M.W. (1999) Eradication of Taenia solium cysticercosis a role for vaccination of pigs. International Journal for Parasitology 29, 811-81 7. 

Although the cellular and humoral response in experimental animals tends to be relatively uniform, it must be remembered that in man (and domestic animals) the immune responses can vary enormously. This is undoubtedly related to human genetic diversity - unlike the uniform genetic background of most experimental animals. These responses have been much studied in hydatid disease and (T. solium) cysticercosis. In the latter case, the frequency of different precipitation bands in serum immuno-electrophoresis (Fig. 11.8) and of the immunoglobulin classes (Table 11.4) show great variation between patients (226). Moreover, some patients show no humoral or cellular response whatsoever (226). Similarly, there is much variation in the immune responses to hydatid disease and, again, some patients show no detectable antibody (734). 

This dmg was used prior to the availabiUty of niclosamide and is considered less satisfactory for the treatment of tapeworms than niclosamide (24). It causes more side effects and produces severe nausea. Quinacrine, however, is preferred by some clinicians for the treatment of Taenia solium infection because, unlike niclosamide, it expels the worms intact, thus reducing the theoretical risk of cysticercosis (25). 

Tapeworm infections (T. saginata and T. solium) are treated with praziquantel 5 to 10 mg/kg as a single dose (use the same dose for adults and pediatric patients).3 The treatment for cysticercosis and neurocysticercosis may include surgery, anticonvulsants (neurocysticercosis can cause seizures), and anthelmintic therapy. The anthelmintic therapy of choice is albendazole 400 mg twice daily for 8 to 30 days. The pediatric dose of albendazole is 15 mg/kg (maximum 800 mg) in two divided doses for 8 to 30 days. The doses for both adults and pediatric subjects can be repeated if necessary. Praziquantel is an alternative therapy.3... 

A single dose of praziquantel, 5-10 mg/kg, results in nearly 100% cure rates for Tsaginata, Tsolium, and D latum infections. Because praziquantel does not kill eggs, it is theoretically possible that larvae of T solium released from eggs in the large bowel could penetrate the intestinal wall and give rise to cysticercosis, but this hazard is probably minimal. 

One parenteral cestode that is widely accepted as a model for cysticercosis caused by T. solium in humans is Taenia crassiceps, which is found as an adult in foxes and has a rodent intermediate host. Larval T. crassiceps reproduce by budding in the peritoneal cavity of mice and can be serially transferred from mouse to mouse. The immune response, which controls larval growth, relies on T cell-mediated immune mechanisms (Lopez-Briones et al., 2001) and treatments resulting in increased delayed type hypersensitivity led to greater resistance, while AB production was unaffected (Bojalil eta/., 1993). 

Table 15.4. Strategy for eradication of Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis.

Laclette, J. P., Ornelas, Y., Merchant, M. T. Willms, K. (1982). Ultrastructure of the surrounding envelopes of Taenia solium eggs. In Cysticercosis present state of knowledge and perspectives, ed. A. Flisser, K. Willms, J. P. Laclette, C. Larralde, C. Ridaura, F. Beltran M. W. Vogt, pp. 375-87. Academic Press New York. 

Cysticercosis is caused by the larval stage of the pork tapeworm Tenia solium. Neurocysticercosis is the most severe and common clinical manifestation in humans and probably the most frequent parasitic infection of the central nervous system. T. solium is endemic in Latin America, Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. However, with the advent of computerized neuroradiology and improved serological tests, neurocysticercosis is increasingly being diagnosed throughout the world. 

Sarti E, Rajshekhar V. Measures for the prevention and control of Taenia solium taeniosis and cysticercosis. Acta Trop 2003 87(l) 137-43. 

Indeed, T. solium eggs may also infect humans, who may develop therefore foodbome or waterborne cysticercosis, or, alternatively, they may infect humans directly by human-to-human fecal-oral transmission or by autoinfection (Table 4). 

Yes (ingestion of water contaminated with T. solium eggs leads to cysticercosis)... 

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