RARE DISEASE
Cysticercosis
Cysticercosis
Cysticercosis
Drug discovery
4
drugs
With orphan designations
Overview
Cysticercosis, caused by Taenia solium larvae, is a parasitic infection where cysts form in tissues, predominantly affecting the central nervous system (neurocysticercosis). It arises from fecal-oral transmission of tapeworm eggs and is a leading preventable cause of epilepsy globally. Diagnosis relies on neuroimaging (CT/MRI) and serology. Treatment combines antiparasitics (albendazole/praziquantel), corticosteroids, and antiepileptics, with surgery reserved for complications like hydrocephalus [1][5][10][16].
Population
Endemic in rural regions of Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia with poor sanitation and free-roaming pigs [1][5][12].
High-risk groups include immigrants from endemic areas (e.g., Mexico) and long-term travelers; US cases are concentrated in California and border states [2][17].
Prevalence peaks in adults aged 20–50, with neurocysticercosis-associated epilepsy affecting 30–70% in endemic communities [1][5][16].
Burden
Accounts for 30% of epilepsy cases in endemic regions, rising to 70% in high-transmission areas [1][4][17].
Estimated 2.56–8.3 million neurocysticercosis cases globally; causes 2.8 million DALYs annually [1][5][9].
Economic impact: Costs exceed $215 million/year in Mexico alone, driven by healthcare and lost productivity [9][18].
Therapies
Antiparasitics: Albendazole (preferred for CNS penetration) ± praziquantel, combined with dexamethasone to mitigate inflammation [3][8][13].
Symptomatic care: Antiseizure drugs (e.g., levetiracetam) for epilepsy; ventricular shunting for hydrocephalus [5][8][16].
Contraindications: Avoid antiparasitics in ocular cysticercosis or diffuse cerebral edema without inflammation control [8][16].
Categories: rare infectious diseases
Research Papers
1,255 drug discovery papers about Cysticercosis, with 9 next-in-class emerging drug candidates forecasted to outperform the average preclinical success rate. Recent publications:
1,255 drug discovery papers about Cysticercosis, with 9 next-in-class emerging drug candidates forecasted to outperform the average preclinical success rate. Recent publications:
categories:
Small molecules
vaccines
2024-10-30 | The Immunodominant Determinants of the Host-Protective Recombinant Oncosphere Antigens of Cestode Parasites are Conformational Epitopes
Host-protective antigens isolated from the oncosphere of taeniid cestodes are highly effective vaccine antigens against cysticercosis and hydatid diseases in mammals, achieving 99 to 100% of protection in vaccinated intermediate hosts against an experimental challenge infection and in field trials. The principal immune mechanism induced by recombinant oncosphere antigens is believed to be complement-fixing antibodies that kill the oncosphere or early developing parasites. Knowledge of the nature of antigenic sites recognized by antibodies is an important component in understanding the characteristics of a vaccine antigen and the development of associated immunological assays. Efforts to identify and characterize protective epitopes have been made for two recombinant oncosphere antigens: EG95 and TSOL18 vaccines against Echinococcus granulosus in sheep and Taenia solium in pigs, respectively. The objective of this paper is to give a short review of the investigations that were undertaken to characterize whether the principal antibody specificities raised by these oncospheral antigens are against linear or conformational determinants.
2023-11-29 | The double-sided effects of Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine on helminthic infections – current data and future prospects.
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), a live attenuated strain derived from an isolate of Mycobacterium bovis, is one of the childhood vaccinations widely used against tuberculosis (TB). In addition to its effects on mycobacterial diseases, the information has shown the protection effect of BCG in helminthic diseases. In the current review, the role of BCG vaccine in non-specific protection helminthic infection is reviewed. In human alveolar echinococcosis (AE), treatment with BCG enhances host's innate immune response against the parasite via the number and activation of monocytes. In cysticercosis, despite the enhancement of Th1-biased immune responses by coadministration of rcC1 plus BCG-DNA, the level of induced protection did not increase compared to immunization with rcC1 antigen alone. Also, pretreatment of mice with live BCG vaccine induced a high level of protection against subsequent parasite infection with Taenia taeniaeformis. The reduction of the parasite burden in mice infected with Mesocestoides corti that received two doses of BCG post-infection demonstrated the therapeutic effect of BCG. The protective potential of the schistosomula/BCG vaccine against Schistosoma japonicum in sheep study showed a reduction in the number of adult worms and mean faecal egg counts post-challenge. In trichinellosis, BCG can induce hyperplasia of the reticuloendothelial system and activation of macrophages in mice. Therefore, these data revealed that BCG vaccination can exert non-specific protective effects for the prevention of diseases other than tuberculosis. Medicinal doses of BCG may be considered a new approach to the treatment of helminth infections.
2023-10-11 | Identification of some Immunogenic Proteins of <i>Taenia saginata</i>/Cysticercosis and Confirmation of Observed Immunogenic Complexes Using Serum from Rabbit Inoculated with Cysts Immunogens
Botswana has recorded and maintained high prevalence of Taenia saginata/cysticercosis. Major economic losses arise from detained or condemned beef from carcasses infected with bovine cysticercosis, because such meat cannot be exported to the European Union, Botswana’s most lucrative market. For over three decades, the government of Botswana had emphasized traditional prevention and control methods without achieving decline in incidence/prevalence of bovine cysticercosis. Vaccines and vaccination have shown to be efficient in prevention and control of bovine cysticercosis. Following an earlier profiling of Taenia saginata/cysticercosis proteins using one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), this study identified immunogenic proteins (epitopes). Transblotted PVDF membranes were treated with polyclonal primary antibody of bovine origin and Rabbit anti-Bovine IgG (H+L) Secondary Antibody HRP. Immunogenic proteins were confirmed to be specific for Taenia saginata/cysticercosis when observed in freshly transblotted membrane that had been treated with serum obtained from rabbit inoculated with cysts immunogens containing antibodies specific for Taenia saginata/cysticercosis and Goat anti-Rabbit IgG (H+L) Secondary Antibody Horse Radish Peroxidase (HRP). Eight (8) immunogenic proteins ranging from 14 to 245kDa were identified. Chilling of samples did not cause significant decrease (p <0.05) in samples’protein quantity although, immunogenic proteins were lost after 7 days of chilling. Further purification and characterization of these identified 8 immunogenic proteins are recommended as these are essential inputs in vaccine and ante-mortem test kit development.
2022-06-01 | Characterization of Three cDNAs Obtained by Spliced Leader-PCR Screening of a Taenia solium cDNA Library
Cysticerci or metacestodes of Taenia solium cause cysticercosis, being the neurocysticercosis (NCC) the main pathology. The characterization of genes is essential for the knowledge of parasite biology, the understanding of the parasite-host relationship, and the identification of possible targets for diagnosis, treatment, and protection. The objective of this work was the molecular and bioinformatic characterization of three news cDNAs (TsTF10, TsAAP8, and TsrGAP8), obtained by spliced leader-PCR screening of a Taenia solium cDNA library. The sequences of the three cDNA were compared with the sequences in the nucleic acid and protein databases (GenBank, EMBL) and analyzed by bioinformatic programs (CDD-Search of the National Center for Biotechnology Information, Interpro of the European Bioinformatics Institute, Motif scan and Expert Protein Analysis System of the Proteomics Server from Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics). Considering the high identities with similar molecules of related helminths (Taenia asiatica, Echinococcus granulosus, Echinococcus multilocularis, and Hymenolepis diminuta) and the functional domains found, the TsTF10, TsAAP8, and TsrGAP8 genes of Taenia could act as a nuclear transcription factor gamma, a putative vacuolar ATPase membrane sector associated protein and a Rho GTPase activating protein, respectively. Although few B epitopes could be predicted in the sequences, it could be relevant to evaluate them as possible candidates for diagnosis and protection in cysticercosis. The characterization and analysis of these sequences and the prediction of their possible usefulness as antigens, vaccines, or therapeutic targets contribute to the designing and planning of future studies.
2022-04-08 | Advances in the treatment, diagnosis, control and scientific understanding of taeniid cestode parasite infections over the past 50 years.
In the past 50 years, enormous progress has been made in the diagnosis, treatment and control of taeniid cestode infections/diseases and in the scientific understanding thereof. Most interest in this group of parasites stems from the serious diseases that they cause in humans. It is through this lens that we summarize here the most important breakthroughs that have made a difference to the treatment of human diseases caused by these parasites, reduction in transmission of the taeniid species associated with human disease, or understanding of the parasites' biology likely to impact diagnosis or treatment in the foreseeable future. Key topics discussed are the introduction of anti-cestode drugs, including benzimidazoles and praziquantel, and the development of new imaging modalities that have transformed the diagnosis and post-treatment monitoring of human echinococcoses and neurocysticercosis. The availability of new anti-cestode drugs for use in dogs and a detailed understanding of the transmission dynamics of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato have underpinned successful programs that have eliminated cystic echinococcosis in some areas of the world and greatly reduced the incidence of infection in others. Despite these successes, cystic and alveolar echinococcosis and neurocysticercosis continue to be prevalent in many parts of the world, requiring new or renewed efforts to prevent the associated taeniid infections. Major advances made in the development of practical vaccines against E. granulosus and Taenia solium will hopefully assist in this endeavour, as might the understanding of the parasites' biology that have come from an elucidation of the nuclear genomes of each of the most important taeniid species causing human diseases.
antibodies
2025-12-01 | Nodules in the Skin and Muscles: A Case of Disseminated Cysticercosis with Multiorgan Involvement
Background: Cysticercosis is a parasitic infestation caused by the larval form of a cestode, Taenia solium (pork tapeworm), which form cysts in various human tissues/organs, often in the brain (neurocysticercosis) [...]
2025-05-13 | Cysticercosis and neurocysticercosis in people from Mocuba district, Zambézia province: A Mozambican community-based study.
Taenia solium cysticercosis represents a significant public health concern, especially in low-income countries such as Mozambique, where especially the sub form neurocysticercosis can be associated with acute symptomatic seizures, epilepsy and other neurological and psychiatric disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of T. solium cysticercosis, neurocysticercosis, seizures and chronic headaches in the Mocuba district, Zambézia province, Mozambique, and to assess their associations. The overall study combined both a community-based and a clinic-based segment, including epidemiological, clinical, laboratory and neuroradiological approaches, to investigate the prevalence and the association of cysticercosis, neurocysticercosis, seizure activity and chronic headaches in the Mocuba district. The community-based study involved 6,932 participants who were asked a questionnaire related to signs/symptoms of neurocysticercosis and who were asked to provide a blood sample for serological testing. Serological tests (Antigen-ELISA and Western blot) were used to detect cysticerci specific antigens and antibodies, respectively, in the participants. The clinic-based study included cerebral computed tomography (CT) of 233 individuals - a subset of those recruited from the community (with and without seizure activity and with and without cysticercosis based on serology). The prevalence of seizures and chronic headaches in the community-based study was 6.5% and 46.2% respectively, and the cysticercosis seroprevalence was 9.6%. Seizures and chronic headaches presented significant associations with cysticercosis seropositivity (p < 0.05). The clinic-based study revealed 9 (3.9%) of 233 individuals with neurocysticercosis-typical lesions on CT-scan of whom one case was negative on serology and on screening for seizure activity. The community-based prevalence of seizure activity and cysticercosis was high in the Mocuba district. There was also a significant association of seizure activity and chronic headaches with the seroprevalence of cysticercosis and 8 out of 9 people with neurocysticercosis had seizure activity. This highlights the importance of increased awareness and the need for building health literacy within the healthcare workforce and the communities as well as the implementation of targeted interventions, both for people with seizure activity with and without neurocysticercosis. Future research should also assess the impact of preventive measures in reducing disease burden caused by T. solium.
2024-07-23 | Refractory Immune-Mediated Cysticercal Meningitis and Role of B Cell Depleting Therapy.
Extraparenchymal neurocysticercosis (NCC) commonly presents with symptoms of raised intracranial pressure such as headache, nausea, vomiting, or delirium. Intraventricular NCC is frequently associated with obstructive hydrocephalus as well as recurrent inflammatory cascade leading to chronic meningitis. The aim of this study was to report the novel use and benefit of B cell depleting therapy in a case of treatment-refractory cysticercal meningoencephalitis. In this article, we report about a young male with intraventricular NCC, who had recurrent meningitis (with encephalitis) and kept relapsing despite multiple cerebrospinal fluid diversion procedures, cysticidal therapy, and high-dose steroids. He finally showed clinical and radiological resolution with pulsed rituximab therapy. This off-label use of a monoclonal antibody against CD20 may be considered as a rescue therapy in steroid-refractory immune-mediated cysticercal meningitis.
2023-10-04 | Spinal cord compression by cystic IgG4-related spinal pachymeningitis mimicking neurocysticercosis: a case report
Abstract Background: To report a case of IgG4-related pachymeningitis presenting with cystic lesions mimicking neurocysticercosis. Case presentation: A 40-year-old female patient with tetraparesis, dysphagia and dysphonia was evaluated with clinical examination, magnetic resonance imaging, and meningeal biopsy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed diffuse pachymeningeal enhancement involving the cranial, cervical, thoracic, and lumbar segments with spinal cord compression and cystic lesions. CSF immunology was initially positive for cysticercus cellulosae. After disease progression a meningeal biopsy was compatible with IgG4 related disease. The patient had partial response to rituximab and needed multiple surgical procedures for spinal cord decompression and CSF shunting. Conclusions: This case highlights the possibility of IgG4-related disease in patients with diffuse pachymeningitis causing spinal cord compression, even with cystic lesions on MRI. Diagnosis of IgG4-related pachymeningitis is paramount due to the possibility of treatment response to immunotherapy, particularly to anti-CD20 agents.
2023-09-01 | Can sPD-1 and sPD-L1 Plasma Concentrations Predict Treatment Response among Patients with Extraparenchymal Neurocysticercosis?
Extraparenchymal neurocysticercosis (EP-NC) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening disease that responds poorly to initial anthelmintic drug therapy. A depressed specific reactivity of peripheral lymphocytes and an increased level of specific Tregs accompanies EP-NC. The immune checkpoint pathway PD-1 and its ligand PD-L1 downregulates effector T cells, causing specific immune suppression in chronic diseases. This study explored whether their soluble forms, sPD-1/sPD-L1, are present in plasma among patients with EP-NC and if their levels could be associated with treatment response. A total of 21 patients with vesicular EP-NC and 22 healthy controls were included. Patients received standard treatment and were followed for six months to assess treatment response by assessing changes in cyst volume determined with 3D MRI. The presence of both sPD-1 and sPD-L1 was more frequently detected among patients with EP-NC than in healthy controls and had higher concentrations. Among patients, higher pre-treatment levels of both markers were associated with a poor treatment response, and the sensitivity and specificity of the sPD-1/sPD-L1 ratio for predicting any response to treatment were high. Our results are consistent with the presence of lymphocyte exhaustion and open new research perspectives to improve the prognosis of patients with this severe disease.
small molecules
2026-09-24 | A Multiphase Implementation of Ring Treatment: A Community-Engaged Control Program for T. Solium taeniasis/cysticercosis in Northern Peru.
Cysticercosis (CC) is a zoonotic disease transmitted between pigs and humans, caused by the larval stage of T. solium that leads to neurological morbidity in humans and economic losses in pig-farming communities in low-resource rural regions. Ring Treatment (RT) is an evidence-based intervention that integrates a community participatory approach to provide antiparasitic treatment to households within 100-meters of an infected pig. This study aimed to evaluate the multiphase implementation of RT as a public health program in northern Peru, with a focus on feasibility, adoption, and sustainability. We conducted a multi-method, three-phase implementation study from 2019-2025 in Tumbes, Peru. Phase 1 involved a formative evaluation using the expanded Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research for low- and middle-income countries. We used semi-structured interviews (n = 169), social network surveys (n = 341), and two process-mapping workshops (n = 26) to describe barriers, facilitators, and RT protocol adaptations. In phase 2, we piloted RT in a small health district, reviewed registries, and conducted community surveys and interviews for quality improvement. In phase 3, we rolled out RT in two districts and applied the RE-AIM framework to assess implementation outcomes. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data underwent rapid qualitative analysis and template analysis (thematic analysis for hierarchical coding). Key facilitators included adaptability of existing health programs and strong engagement with community health workers (CHW) and communities. Barriers included high staff turnover, workload, and resource constraints. The pilot study achieved 75% treatment coverage among eligible populations, increased community knowledge of the CC transmission cycle, and prompted regional-level policy changes. During the RT rollout, 100% of health facilities established RT procedures, with moderate participation in training and treatment (53% and 87%). However, the COVID-19 pandemic and political instability limited the effectiveness of assessments and the completeness of data. RT is feasible and acceptable as a public health program for T. solium control in rural, endemic, low-resource settings. Success hinges on community and CHW involvement, adaptive protocols, and cross-sectoral partnerships. Continued investment in One Health approaches that view the human-animal-environment intersection as central to health is needed to sustain and expand progress in controlling zoonoses.
2026-08-26 | Treatment patterns and access among people with epilepsy of childbearing potential in Peru.
People with epilepsy of childbearing potential in low-resource settings face unique challenges related to anti-seizure medication (ASM) selection and access. These challenges may be particularly pronounced in regions where neurocysticercosis (NCC), a leading cause of acquired epilepsy worldwide, contributes substantially to the burden of disease. We characterized ASM prescribing patterns and factors associated with the use of higher-risk medications among people with epilepsy of childbearing potential in northern Peru. We analyzed data from females aged 15-49 years who were enrolled in a prospective, population-based epilepsy cohort in Tumbes, Peru, from 2006 to 2020. ASMs were categorized according to pregnancy-associated safety profiles as Lower-risk (lamotrigine, levetiracetam, oxcarbazepine, clonazepam, diazepam), Intermediate-High risk (carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, topiramate), and Highest-risk (valproic acid). We evaluated ASM utilization, polytherapy, and factors associated with valproate use, the highest-risk medication. Among 1,975 individuals with epilepsy, 685 were of childbearing potential. Approximately one-third met criteria for probable or definite NCC (34.9%). Nearly all participants (98.6%) were prescribed carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, or valproic acid, while use of newer-generation agents was rare. Most prescriptions (86.3%) were classified as Intermediate-High-risk, and 12.8% as Highest-risk. In multivariable analyses, prior ASM use and polytherapy were independently associated with receipt of valproate. In this population-based epilepsy cohort from northern Peru, ASM treatment among people of childbearing potential was overwhelmingly limited to older medications with an elevated risk of teratogenicity. These prescribing patterns likely reflect medication availability rather than clinical preference and highlight the challenges of implementing guideline-recommended epilepsy care in resource-constrained settings. Given the substantial burden of NCC-related epilepsy in this population, improving access to safer and more diverse ASM options may represent an important strategy for reducing treatment inequities among people with epilepsy of childbearing potential.
2026-08-25 | Pharmacokinetic barriers to oxfendazole flukicidal efficacy.
Although oxfendazole (OFZ) has been traditionally used to control nematode parasites in domestic animals and more recently in human medicine, high efficacy against porcine cysticercosis and fasciolosis in both sheep and pigs has been observed when the drug is administered at higher dose levels. In this context, the plasma disposition kinetics and the pattern of drug accumulation in adult Fasciola hepatica was characterized in infected sheep orally treated with OFZ at either the nematodicidal dose of 5 mg/kg (OFZ5) or at a higher dose of 30 mg/kg (OFZ30). OFZ was the main analyte detected in plasma of treated sheep. The systemic exposure (AUC0-LOQ) increased from 17.9 ± 3.71 µg.h/mL at the therapeutic dose to 85.4 ± 22.6 µg.h/mL with the highest dose treatment. The plasma Cmax value was approximately fourfold higher in the OFZ30 compared to the OFZ5 treated animals. The dose-related marked differences in OFZ systemic exposure were reflected in the accumulation into F. hepatica specimens, which was 332% higher in the OFZ30 group (4.28 µg/g) than in the OFZ5 group (0.99 µg/g). The data shown here demonstrate that increasing the OFZ dose is associated with enhanced plasma drug exposure and greater accumulation in the target trematode parasite, which helps to explain the enhanced efficacy of OFZ against adult liver flukes at the 30 mg/kg dose.
2026-07-01 | The great escape: Spontaneous conjunctival cysticercus expulsion in a child – A case report and literature review
A 12-year-old girl presented with a progressively enlarging, cystic swelling in the inferotemporal conjunctiva of the left eye for 4 months. Ocular examination revealed a tense, immobile subconjunctival cyst (1.5 × 1.5 cm) with normal vision. B-scan and computed tomography (CT) scan of the orbit confirmed a cystic lesion without a definite scolex. A provisional diagnosis of subconjunctival cysticercosis was made, and oral albendazole was initiated. Remarkably, within two days, the intact cyst extruded spontaneously through the conjunctiva with complete resolution of symptoms in 2 weeks. Spontaneous expulsion of ocular cysticercosis is rare, with only a few reported cases in the literature. This case highlights the importance of recognizing such presentations of subconjunctival cysticercosis and its potential for spontaneous resolution with medical therapy. We also reviewed the literature on these cases, highlighting the treatments administered prior to the event and the proposed mechanisms underlying such extrusion.
2026-06-29 | Eosinophilia in the Tropics: Should Empirical Anthelmintic Treatment Be Considered Standard Practice? A Prospective Cohort Study.
Eosinophilia is a common clinical finding with diverse etiologies. Helminthiasis is a major aetiology in tropical regions, but data from haematology consultation services at tertiary centres in endemic settings are limited. To determine the prevalence of helminthiasis among patients with eosinophilia at a tropical tertiary care centre and identify clinical and laboratory characteristics differentiating helminth from non-helminth etiologies. A prospective cohort study with predefined retrospective outcome classification was conducted at Siriraj Hospital, Thailand (January 2022 to November 2023) in adult patients with blood eosinophilia above 500 cells/μL. All patients underwent helminth screening through stool examination and serological testing for strongyloidiasis, gnathostomiasis, angiostrongyliasis, filariasis and cysticercosis, and received empirical ivermectin or albendazole with monthly follow-up for 6 months. Among 131 patients, 76 (58.0%) were diagnosed with helminthiasis, comprising 49 definite (laboratory-confirmed) and 27 probable (treatment-response-defined) infections. Strongyloidiasis (53.1%) was most common among definite infections, followed by gnathostomiasis (40.8%) and cysticercosis (26.5%), with multiple infections in 24.5% of definite cases. The median time to absolute eosinophil count (AEC) normalization was 1.0 month (IQR: 1.0-2.0), with 93.4% normalizing within 3 months. Probable infections were significantly associated with soil contact and forest travel (all p < 0.05), while definite infections were associated with organism-specific exposures (all p < 0.05). Patients aged 75 years or above showed significantly lower AEC at presentation (adjusted geometric mean ratio 0.52, 95% CI: 0.31-0.89, p = 0.017). Leukopenia and hypoalbuminemia were more prevalent in non-infectious etiologies. Helminthiasis was identified in more than half of patients with eosinophilia at a tropical tertiary haematology service. Empirical anthelmintic therapy effectively normalized eosinophilia in the majority within 3 months, supporting its use as a standard initial approach in endemic settings. Detailed exposure anamnesis and concurrent evaluation for non-helminth etiologies, particularly in patients with leukopenia or hypoalbuminemia, should be routinely performed.
proteins
2026-09-10 | An updated estimate of the proportion of neurocysticercosis among people with epileptic seizures: a systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis.
Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is an infection of the central nervous system caused by the larval stage of Taenia solium. This systematic review (PROSPERO identifier: CRD42021266596) aimed to estimate the pooled proportion of NCC among people with epileptic seizures (PWES) between 1990 and 2023, and to assess whether this proportion changed between January 1990 to May 2008 and June 2008 to May 2023 across endemic regions. Twenty electronic databases were searched in May 2023 for records on NCC published between January 1, 1990, and May 9, 2023. Two reviewers independently screened all records. Original studies that reported NCC frequency among PWES, used neuroimaging, biopsy, or autopsy to diagnose NCC, and were not prone to high level of selection bias were included. Reviews, book-chapters and case series with fewer than 20 participants were excluded. Methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for prevalence studies. Bayesian models were used to estimate pooled NCC proportions and assess their changes by study periods and regions. Among 16,202 screened records, 77 studies met the inclusion criteria. Thirty-five studies included PWES from both sexes, all age groups (children and adults), and used clear case definitions. The pooled proportion of NCC among PWES in these studies was 25.2% [95% Bayesian credible interval (BCI): 19.5%-32.2%], with fairly-high between-study heterogeneity (τ = 1.0; 95% BCI: 0.8-1.3). Studies without clear definitions for NCC or epileptic seizures reported considerably lower proportions, suggesting misclassification error. NCC proportion did not vary by sex or age. NCC proportion declined between June 2008 and May 2023, across Africa, the Americas and Southeast Asia. This study provides an updated estimate of NCC proportion among PWES between 1990 and 2023, with implications for burden estimation, and highlights its decline in endemic regions. However, substantial between-study heterogeneity indicates context-specific differences; therefore, the pooled estimates should be interpreted cautiously and not as universally generalizable. Further research should determine whether the observed decline in NCC proportion is real or reflects an apparent reduction resulting from changes in case definitions, study populations, neuroimaging technologies, or underlying causes of epileptic seizures.
2026-09-07 | Neuroimaging Features of an Experimental Model of Extraparenchymal Neurocysticercosis.
To retrospectively evaluate magnetic resonance images acquired from rats subjected to a murine model of extraparenchymal neurocysticercosis. The model consisted of injecting 50 Taenia crassiceps cysticerci into the cisterna magna of Wistar rats. To validate disease induction, magnetic resonance imaging was performed, focusing on the assessment of hydrocephalus and cysts distribution throughout the cerebrospinal fluid compartments. Ventricular dilation was quantified using the frontal horn ratio (FHR), calculated by dividing the maximal width of the frontal horns by the inner-table internal diameter. Intracranial abnormalities were found 63.0% of the animals, predominantly ventricular dilation (> 90%), mainly involving the lateral ventricles. The most affected compartments were the cisterna magna (85.2%) and supratentorial basal cisterns (78.8%). Cysts were identified in the cerebral convexity in 10.6% of cases and in the subcutaneous tissue in 39.2% of infected animals. The mean FHR was 0.62 ± 0.13. Higher FHR values were associated with the presence of cysts in the CSF, but not in the subcutaneous tissue (p = 0.743). The translational relevance of this extraparenchymal NCC model is underscored by neuroimaging findings that closely resemble the human condition, providing a valuable platform for future mechanistic studies on pathogenesis and treatment development.
2026-08-26 | The TPx Protein of Cysticercus cellulosae Promotes an IL-10-Producing Regulatory B Cell Phenotype in Human B Lymphoblastoid Cells via the cAMP/CREB Pathway.
Thioredoxin peroxidase (TPx) derived from Taenia solium cysticerci (Cysticercus cellulosae) mediates immune evasion by disrupting T cell subset homeostasis. However, its effect on regulatory B cells (Bregs) and the underlying mechanism remain unknown. We stimulated GM12878 B cells with TPx and assessed Breg differentiation by flow cytometry, ELISA, and RT-qPCR. We evaluated the function of TPx-pretreated B cells in co-culture with T cells. We then combined RNA sequencing, Western blot, ELISA, and pharmacological inhibition to identify the signaling pathway involved. TPx increased the CD19+CD24hiCD27+ Breg subset in a time-dependent manner, peaking at 72 h. This effect was accompanied by enhanced IL-10 secretion and upregulated transcription of IL-10, TGF-β, and IL-35. TPx-pretreated B cells reduced CD4+ T-cell blastogenesis (cell size) and the CD4+ fraction of the co-culture and increased the frequency of cells with a CD4+CD25+CD127- Treg-like surface phenotype. RNA sequencing identified cAMP-related pathways as central to this process. TPx elevated intracellular cAMP and activated the PKA/CREB phosphorylation cascade, whereas the adenylyl cyclase inhibitor SQ22536 reversed TPx-induced Breg differentiation and IL-10 secretion. In this human B cell line model, TPx promotes acquisition of a Breg-like phenotype in an adenylyl cyclase-dependent manner, revealing a novel mechanism of cysticercosis-associated immune evasion.
2026-03-01 | Cysticercosis in Laos: Prevalence, risk factors and predictive mapping.
Neurocysticercosis due to Taenia solium is the leading cause of preventable epilepsy in low and middle-income countries. This study describes the first national cysticercosis serosurvey in the Mekong region and the first national predicted prevalence map in Asia. Two thousand two hundred and sixty-two individuals from 149 random villages across Laos provided serum samples that were tested for cysticercosis using the B158/B60 antigen ELISA. Participants compelted individual questionnaires on risk factors for cysticercosis. Logistic regression with random spatial effects was used to determine significant risk factors. A second geostatistical model using readily available national datasets at the village level produced predicted prevalence maps across the country. The overall study prevalence was 5.31% (95% CI: 4.44 - 6.29%), with cases detected throughout the country. Prevalence varied significantly between villages with a minimum of 0.00% (95% CI: 0.00 - 5.78%) in some villages and maximum of 43.75% (95% CI: 22.16 - 67.39%) in others, supporting the evidence for cysticercosis hotspots. Sex, wealth index and region were all significant risk factors based on individual responses, whilst distance to the nearest city and poverty were the only significant factors in the national predictive model. Cysticercosis was found throughout Laos, challenging the previous belief that it was primarily a disease of northern Laos. The significant association with wealth and poverty in both models highlights the need for socioeconomic considerations in disease control. Many of the high predicted prevalence areas exist along the borders with Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam suggesting that cross-border or regional approaches may be beneficial.
2026-02-26 | Prevalence of neurocysticercosis and its characteristics among people with epileptic seizures and progressively worsening severe headaches in 60 villages in three provinces of Burkina Faso.
Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a common cause of epilepsy in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Few studies have described neuroimaging findings in individuals with headaches in addition to epilepsy. Our aim was therefore to describe the types of NCC lesions seen on cerebral computed tomography (cCT), among participants with progressively worsening severe headaches (PWSH) and epilepsy living in 60 villages in Burkina Faso, and to determine the prevalence of NCC in these groups,. Data from a screening questionnaire for epilepsy and PWSH and subsequent neurological examination were gathered as part of a baseline cross-sectional component of a cluster randomized controlled trial conducted between February 2011 and January 2012. Those screening positive and a sub-sample of individuals screening negative were investigated by one of the two physicians in the field. Participants for whom the physician confirmed the presence of the neurological signs/symptoms of interest were invited for cCT. Participants receiving cCT were tested for the presence of circulating cysticercal antigens using the B158/B60 Ag-ELISA and of antibodies using the rT24H EITB. For all individuals undergoing cCT, observed lesions were radiology categorized as active, degenerated or inactive based on recommendations from the literature, or uncertain, when radiologists were unsure whether they met the definitions. These individuals were finally clinically categorized as definitive or probable cases of NCC according to the internationally recognized diagnostic criteria for NCC, or as uncertain cases of NCC when radiologists were unsure about the lesions. A total of 249 individuals were diagnosed with the neurological signs/symptoms of interest by the physicians. Upon further review by the neurologist, 9 were found to have no neurological signs/symptoms of interest, 109 were diagnosed with epilepsy, 116 with PWSH, and 15 with both. In total, there were 17 definitive NCC cases, 13 probable cases, and 15 cases with an uncertain NCC diagnosis. Among individuals with epilepsy and PWSH, the prevalence of NCC (based on the clinical categorization as definitive or probable NCC cases) was 16.9% (21/124, 95% CI: 10.8%-24.7%) and 7.6% (10/131, 95% CI: 3.7%-13.6%), respectively. Of the definitive or probable NCC cases, 46.7% tested positive for the rT24H EITB (14/30), and 33.3% had a positive Ag-ELISA result (10/30). Among these cases, there were a total of 19 with active lesions, of which 11 showed viable lesions with a scolex, and 6 without, and 2 with degenerating lesions), whereas 29 had inactive (calcified) lesions including 11 mixed lesions. This study is one of the first to provide an estimate for the prevalence of NCC in people with PWSH on the African continent. Furthermore, the findings confirm significant regional variation in the prevalence of NCC cases in people with epilepsy and underscore the need for further research into the inflammatory response to T. solium larvae. Limitations included diagnostic challenges, time delays between assessments, and potential underestimation of the prevalence of NCC due to neuroimaging constraints.
other
2025-10-10 | Novel Oral papaya-based preventive and therapeutic vaccine for controlling different zoonotic Taeniid parasites: Current advances.
Zoonotic infections caused by Taenia and Echinococcus species are the most significant Taeniid parasitic diseases affecting human and animal health, particularly in regions with poor sanitation. Vaccination of intermediate hosts has proven effective in controlling these parasitic infections. In the case of Echinococcosis, targeted immunization programs have led to marked reductions in transmission, although global eradication remains unachieved. Similarly, sustained vaccination studies for cysticercosis have demonstrated the feasibility of interrupting transmission cycles. This review summarizes the current state of progress in the development of a novel, low-cost oral vaccine against zoonotic Taeniid parasites employing Carica papaya tissue cultures as a biofactory system. KETc7, a highly conserved protective antigen among Taeniid species, has been expressed in this plant tissue culture-based platform. C. papaya serves not only as an efficient vehicle for oral immunization but also exhibits intrinsic anthelmintic properties. The Taeniid oral papaya vaccine formulation consists of aqueous extracts from KETc7-transgenic papaya cells, combined with anthelmintic aqueous extracts derived from wild-type C. papaya cells. Importantly, transgenic and non-transgenic C. papaya cells suspension cultures were optimized under reproducible conditions to enable scalable production for the vaccine. By integrating biological knowledge of Taeniid parasites with advances in plant biotechnology, this review highlights the advances of a dual-action oral vaccine, both preventive and therapeutic, as a strategy to control with one vaccine different Taeniid infections in endemic regions, particularly where conventional injectable vaccination is limited by logistical and economic restrictions.
2024-05-23 | Taenia solium cysticerci's extracellular vesicles Attenuate the AKT/mTORC1 pathway for Alleviating DSS-induced colitis in a murine model.
The excretory-secretory proteome plays a pivotal role in both intercellular communication during disease progression and immune escape mechanisms of various pathogens including cestode parasites like Taenia solium. The cysticerci of T. solium causes infection in the central nervous system known as neurocysticercosis (NCC), which affects a significant population in developing countries. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are 30-150-nm-sized particles and constitute a significant part of the secretome. However, the role of EV in NCC pathogenesis remains undetermined. Here, for the first time, we report that EV from T. solium larvae is abundant in metabolites that can negatively regulate PI3K/AKT pathway, efficiently internalized by macrophages to induce AKT and mTOR degradation through auto-lysosomal route with a prominent increase in the ubiquitination of both proteins. This results in less ROS production and diminished bacterial killing capability among EV-treated macrophages. Due to this, both macro-autophagy and caspase-linked apoptosis are upregulated, with a reduction of the autophagy substrate sequestome 1. In summary, we report that T. solium EV from viable cysts attenuates the AKT-mTOR pathway thereby promoting apoptosis in macrophages, and this may exert immunosuppression during an early viable stage of the parasite in NCC, which is primarily asymptomatic. Further investigation on EV-mediated immune suppression revealed that the EV can protect the mice from DSS-induced colitis and improve colon architecture. These findings shed light on the previously unknown role of T. solium EV and the therapeutic role of their immune suppression potential.
2022-09-08 | Improvement of cell suspension cultures of transformed and untransformed Carica papaya cell lines, towards the development of an antiparasitic product against the gastrointestinal nematode Haemonchus contortus
Parasitic diseases have a major impact on human and animal health worldwide. Despite the availability of effective anti-parasitic drugs, their excessive and uncontrolled use has promoted the emergence of drug resistance, severely affecting ecosystems and human health. Thus, developing environmentally friendly antiparasitic treatments is urgently needed. Carica papaya has shown promising effects against infectious diseases. C. papaya embryogenic calluses were genetically modified by our research team to insert immunogenic peptides with the goal of developing an oral anti-cysticercosis vaccine. Among these callus cell lines, one labeled as CF-23, which expresses the KETc7 immunogenic peptide, induced the highest protection levels against experimental cysticercosis. In the process of designing a natural antiparasitic product based on C. papaya that simultaneously induced immunity against cysticercosis, both transformed (SF-23) and untransformed (SF-WT) suspension cultures were produced and optimized. Our results showed a better duplication time (td) for SF-23 (6.9 days) than SF-WT (13.02 days); thus, the SF-23 line was selected for scale-up in a 2-L airlift bioreactor, reaching a td of 4.4 days. This is the first time that a transgenic line of C. papaya has been grown in an airlift bioreactor, highlighting its potential for scale-up cultivation in this type of reactor. Considering the previously reported nematocidal activity of C. papaya tissues, their activity against the nematode Haemonchus contortus of aqueous extracts of SF-WT and SF-23 was explored in this study, with promising results. The information herein reported will allow us to continue the cultivation of the transgenic cell suspension line of C. papaya under reproducible conditions, to develop a new anti-parasitic product.
2022-06-14 | Analysis of immune response in BALB/c mice immunized with recombinant plasmids pMZ-X3-Ts14-3-3.3 and pMZ-X3-sp-Ts14-3-3.3 of Taenia solium.
There is a lack of vaccine against human cysticercosis, thus making a huge population at the risk of infection. In this study, we chose a novel potential antigen molecule Taenia solium 14-3-3.3 (Ts14-3-3.3) and optimized it as sp-Ts14-3-3.3 (sp is immunoglobulin H chain V-region precursor, partial) in order to construct recombinant plasmids pMZ-X3-Ts14-3-3.3 and pMZ-X3-sp-Ts14-3-3.3. BALB/c mice were divided into four groups for immunization: pMZ-X3-Ts14-3-3.3, pMZ-X3-sp-Ts14-3-3.3, pMZ-X3 plasmid control group and PBS control group. Compared with two control groups, the proliferation level of splenic lymphocytes increased significantly in pMZ-X3-Ts14-3-3.3 and pMZ-X3-sp-Ts14-3-3.3 groups and reached the maximum in week 6. And the same case arose as cytokines associated with Th1 response, IFN-γ, and IL-2 while those with Th2 response, IL-4, IL-10 went up and reached the maximum in week 4. The levels of serum specific IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a rose and reached the maximum in week 6, 4 and 6, respectively. Meanwhile, the proportion of CD4+/CD8+ splenic T lymphocytes increased and reached the peak in week 6. The results indicated that the recombinant plasmids pMZ-X3-Ts14-3-3.3 and pMZ-X3-sp-Ts14-3-3.3 can induce specific cellular and humoral immune responses in BALB/c mice with immunization. Notably, the recombinant plasmid pMZ-X3-sp-Ts14-3-3.3 has a better immune effect, which proves that Ts14-3-3.3 enjoys a higher possibility as a potential antigen molecule to T. solium vaccine.
2021-11-29 | Identification and functional characterization of the siRNA pathway in Taenia crassiceps by silencing Enolase A.
A gene silencing procedure on cysticerci of the taeniid cestode Taenia crassiceps is described. This is the first time this technique is reported in this species that is widely used as an animal model for human cysticercosis. Genome database searches were performed in order to find out if relevant genes involved in gene silencing and non-coding RNA processing, Argonaute and Dicer (AGO and Dcr) are present in T. crassiceps. We found three AGO and two Dcr orthologues that were designed TcAGO1, Tc2 and Tc3, as well as TcDcr1 and TcDcr2. In order to elucidate the evolutionary relationships of T. crassiceps TcAGO and TcDcr genes, separate phylogenetic analyses were carried out for each, including AGO and Dcr orthologues of other 20 platyhelminthes. Our findings showed a close phylogenetic relationship of TcAGO and TcDcr with those previously described for Echinococcus spp. Our RT-PCR studies demonstrated expression of all TcAGO and TcDcr orthologues. Our results show that the gene silencing machinery in T. crassiceps is functionally active by inducing silencing of TcEnoA (∼90%). These results clearly show that gene silencing using siRNAs can be used as a molecular methodology to study gene function in taeniid cestodes.
vaccines
2024-10-30 | The Immunodominant Determinants of the Host-Protective Recombinant Oncosphere Antigens of Cestode Parasites are Conformational Epitopes
Host-protective antigens isolated from the oncosphere of taeniid cestodes are highly effective vaccine antigens against cysticercosis and hydatid diseases in mammals, achieving 99 to 100% of protection in vaccinated intermediate hosts against an experimental challenge infection and in field trials. The principal immune mechanism induced by recombinant oncosphere antigens is believed to be complement-fixing antibodies that kill the oncosphere or early developing parasites. Knowledge of the nature of antigenic sites recognized by antibodies is an important component in understanding the characteristics of a vaccine antigen and the development of associated immunological assays. Efforts to identify and characterize protective epitopes have been made for two recombinant oncosphere antigens: EG95 and TSOL18 vaccines against Echinococcus granulosus in sheep and Taenia solium in pigs, respectively. The objective of this paper is to give a short review of the investigations that were undertaken to characterize whether the principal antibody specificities raised by these oncospheral antigens are against linear or conformational determinants.
2023-11-29 | The double-sided effects of Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine on helminthic infections – current data and future prospects.
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), a live attenuated strain derived from an isolate of Mycobacterium bovis, is one of the childhood vaccinations widely used against tuberculosis (TB). In addition to its effects on mycobacterial diseases, the information has shown the protection effect of BCG in helminthic diseases. In the current review, the role of BCG vaccine in non-specific protection helminthic infection is reviewed. In human alveolar echinococcosis (AE), treatment with BCG enhances host's innate immune response against the parasite via the number and activation of monocytes. In cysticercosis, despite the enhancement of Th1-biased immune responses by coadministration of rcC1 plus BCG-DNA, the level of induced protection did not increase compared to immunization with rcC1 antigen alone. Also, pretreatment of mice with live BCG vaccine induced a high level of protection against subsequent parasite infection with Taenia taeniaeformis. The reduction of the parasite burden in mice infected with Mesocestoides corti that received two doses of BCG post-infection demonstrated the therapeutic effect of BCG. The protective potential of the schistosomula/BCG vaccine against Schistosoma japonicum in sheep study showed a reduction in the number of adult worms and mean faecal egg counts post-challenge. In trichinellosis, BCG can induce hyperplasia of the reticuloendothelial system and activation of macrophages in mice. Therefore, these data revealed that BCG vaccination can exert non-specific protective effects for the prevention of diseases other than tuberculosis. Medicinal doses of BCG may be considered a new approach to the treatment of helminth infections.
2023-10-11 | Identification of some Immunogenic Proteins of <i>Taenia saginata</i>/Cysticercosis and Confirmation of Observed Immunogenic Complexes Using Serum from Rabbit Inoculated with Cysts Immunogens
Botswana has recorded and maintained high prevalence of Taenia saginata/cysticercosis. Major economic losses arise from detained or condemned beef from carcasses infected with bovine cysticercosis, because such meat cannot be exported to the European Union, Botswana’s most lucrative market. For over three decades, the government of Botswana had emphasized traditional prevention and control methods without achieving decline in incidence/prevalence of bovine cysticercosis. Vaccines and vaccination have shown to be efficient in prevention and control of bovine cysticercosis. Following an earlier profiling of Taenia saginata/cysticercosis proteins using one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), this study identified immunogenic proteins (epitopes). Transblotted PVDF membranes were treated with polyclonal primary antibody of bovine origin and Rabbit anti-Bovine IgG (H+L) Secondary Antibody HRP. Immunogenic proteins were confirmed to be specific for Taenia saginata/cysticercosis when observed in freshly transblotted membrane that had been treated with serum obtained from rabbit inoculated with cysts immunogens containing antibodies specific for Taenia saginata/cysticercosis and Goat anti-Rabbit IgG (H+L) Secondary Antibody Horse Radish Peroxidase (HRP). Eight (8) immunogenic proteins ranging from 14 to 245kDa were identified. Chilling of samples did not cause significant decrease (p <0.05) in samples’protein quantity although, immunogenic proteins were lost after 7 days of chilling. Further purification and characterization of these identified 8 immunogenic proteins are recommended as these are essential inputs in vaccine and ante-mortem test kit development.
2022-06-01 | Characterization of Three cDNAs Obtained by Spliced Leader-PCR Screening of a Taenia solium cDNA Library
Cysticerci or metacestodes of Taenia solium cause cysticercosis, being the neurocysticercosis (NCC) the main pathology. The characterization of genes is essential for the knowledge of parasite biology, the understanding of the parasite-host relationship, and the identification of possible targets for diagnosis, treatment, and protection. The objective of this work was the molecular and bioinformatic characterization of three news cDNAs (TsTF10, TsAAP8, and TsrGAP8), obtained by spliced leader-PCR screening of a Taenia solium cDNA library. The sequences of the three cDNA were compared with the sequences in the nucleic acid and protein databases (GenBank, EMBL) and analyzed by bioinformatic programs (CDD-Search of the National Center for Biotechnology Information, Interpro of the European Bioinformatics Institute, Motif scan and Expert Protein Analysis System of the Proteomics Server from Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics). Considering the high identities with similar molecules of related helminths (Taenia asiatica, Echinococcus granulosus, Echinococcus multilocularis, and Hymenolepis diminuta) and the functional domains found, the TsTF10, TsAAP8, and TsrGAP8 genes of Taenia could act as a nuclear transcription factor gamma, a putative vacuolar ATPase membrane sector associated protein and a Rho GTPase activating protein, respectively. Although few B epitopes could be predicted in the sequences, it could be relevant to evaluate them as possible candidates for diagnosis and protection in cysticercosis. The characterization and analysis of these sequences and the prediction of their possible usefulness as antigens, vaccines, or therapeutic targets contribute to the designing and planning of future studies.
2022-04-08 | Advances in the treatment, diagnosis, control and scientific understanding of taeniid cestode parasite infections over the past 50 years.
In the past 50 years, enormous progress has been made in the diagnosis, treatment and control of taeniid cestode infections/diseases and in the scientific understanding thereof. Most interest in this group of parasites stems from the serious diseases that they cause in humans. It is through this lens that we summarize here the most important breakthroughs that have made a difference to the treatment of human diseases caused by these parasites, reduction in transmission of the taeniid species associated with human disease, or understanding of the parasites' biology likely to impact diagnosis or treatment in the foreseeable future. Key topics discussed are the introduction of anti-cestode drugs, including benzimidazoles and praziquantel, and the development of new imaging modalities that have transformed the diagnosis and post-treatment monitoring of human echinococcoses and neurocysticercosis. The availability of new anti-cestode drugs for use in dogs and a detailed understanding of the transmission dynamics of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato have underpinned successful programs that have eliminated cystic echinococcosis in some areas of the world and greatly reduced the incidence of infection in others. Despite these successes, cystic and alveolar echinococcosis and neurocysticercosis continue to be prevalent in many parts of the world, requiring new or renewed efforts to prevent the associated taeniid infections. Major advances made in the development of practical vaccines against E. granulosus and Taenia solium will hopefully assist in this endeavour, as might the understanding of the parasites' biology that have come from an elucidation of the nuclear genomes of each of the most important taeniid species causing human diseases.
antibodies
2025-12-01 | Nodules in the Skin and Muscles: A Case of Disseminated Cysticercosis with Multiorgan Involvement
Background: Cysticercosis is a parasitic infestation caused by the larval form of a cestode, Taenia solium (pork tapeworm), which form cysts in various human tissues/organs, often in the brain (neurocysticercosis) [...]
2025-05-13 | Cysticercosis and neurocysticercosis in people from Mocuba district, Zambézia province: A Mozambican community-based study.
Taenia solium cysticercosis represents a significant public health concern, especially in low-income countries such as Mozambique, where especially the sub form neurocysticercosis can be associated with acute symptomatic seizures, epilepsy and other neurological and psychiatric disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of T. solium cysticercosis, neurocysticercosis, seizures and chronic headaches in the Mocuba district, Zambézia province, Mozambique, and to assess their associations. The overall study combined both a community-based and a clinic-based segment, including epidemiological, clinical, laboratory and neuroradiological approaches, to investigate the prevalence and the association of cysticercosis, neurocysticercosis, seizure activity and chronic headaches in the Mocuba district. The community-based study involved 6,932 participants who were asked a questionnaire related to signs/symptoms of neurocysticercosis and who were asked to provide a blood sample for serological testing. Serological tests (Antigen-ELISA and Western blot) were used to detect cysticerci specific antigens and antibodies, respectively, in the participants. The clinic-based study included cerebral computed tomography (CT) of 233 individuals - a subset of those recruited from the community (with and without seizure activity and with and without cysticercosis based on serology). The prevalence of seizures and chronic headaches in the community-based study was 6.5% and 46.2% respectively, and the cysticercosis seroprevalence was 9.6%. Seizures and chronic headaches presented significant associations with cysticercosis seropositivity (p < 0.05). The clinic-based study revealed 9 (3.9%) of 233 individuals with neurocysticercosis-typical lesions on CT-scan of whom one case was negative on serology and on screening for seizure activity. The community-based prevalence of seizure activity and cysticercosis was high in the Mocuba district. There was also a significant association of seizure activity and chronic headaches with the seroprevalence of cysticercosis and 8 out of 9 people with neurocysticercosis had seizure activity. This highlights the importance of increased awareness and the need for building health literacy within the healthcare workforce and the communities as well as the implementation of targeted interventions, both for people with seizure activity with and without neurocysticercosis. Future research should also assess the impact of preventive measures in reducing disease burden caused by T. solium.
2024-07-23 | Refractory Immune-Mediated Cysticercal Meningitis and Role of B Cell Depleting Therapy.
Extraparenchymal neurocysticercosis (NCC) commonly presents with symptoms of raised intracranial pressure such as headache, nausea, vomiting, or delirium. Intraventricular NCC is frequently associated with obstructive hydrocephalus as well as recurrent inflammatory cascade leading to chronic meningitis. The aim of this study was to report the novel use and benefit of B cell depleting therapy in a case of treatment-refractory cysticercal meningoencephalitis. In this article, we report about a young male with intraventricular NCC, who had recurrent meningitis (with encephalitis) and kept relapsing despite multiple cerebrospinal fluid diversion procedures, cysticidal therapy, and high-dose steroids. He finally showed clinical and radiological resolution with pulsed rituximab therapy. This off-label use of a monoclonal antibody against CD20 may be considered as a rescue therapy in steroid-refractory immune-mediated cysticercal meningitis.
2023-10-04 | Spinal cord compression by cystic IgG4-related spinal pachymeningitis mimicking neurocysticercosis: a case report
Abstract Background: To report a case of IgG4-related pachymeningitis presenting with cystic lesions mimicking neurocysticercosis. Case presentation: A 40-year-old female patient with tetraparesis, dysphagia and dysphonia was evaluated with clinical examination, magnetic resonance imaging, and meningeal biopsy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed diffuse pachymeningeal enhancement involving the cranial, cervical, thoracic, and lumbar segments with spinal cord compression and cystic lesions. CSF immunology was initially positive for cysticercus cellulosae. After disease progression a meningeal biopsy was compatible with IgG4 related disease. The patient had partial response to rituximab and needed multiple surgical procedures for spinal cord decompression and CSF shunting. Conclusions: This case highlights the possibility of IgG4-related disease in patients with diffuse pachymeningitis causing spinal cord compression, even with cystic lesions on MRI. Diagnosis of IgG4-related pachymeningitis is paramount due to the possibility of treatment response to immunotherapy, particularly to anti-CD20 agents.
2023-09-01 | Can sPD-1 and sPD-L1 Plasma Concentrations Predict Treatment Response among Patients with Extraparenchymal Neurocysticercosis?
Extraparenchymal neurocysticercosis (EP-NC) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening disease that responds poorly to initial anthelmintic drug therapy. A depressed specific reactivity of peripheral lymphocytes and an increased level of specific Tregs accompanies EP-NC. The immune checkpoint pathway PD-1 and its ligand PD-L1 downregulates effector T cells, causing specific immune suppression in chronic diseases. This study explored whether their soluble forms, sPD-1/sPD-L1, are present in plasma among patients with EP-NC and if their levels could be associated with treatment response. A total of 21 patients with vesicular EP-NC and 22 healthy controls were included. Patients received standard treatment and were followed for six months to assess treatment response by assessing changes in cyst volume determined with 3D MRI. The presence of both sPD-1 and sPD-L1 was more frequently detected among patients with EP-NC than in healthy controls and had higher concentrations. Among patients, higher pre-treatment levels of both markers were associated with a poor treatment response, and the sensitivity and specificity of the sPD-1/sPD-L1 ratio for predicting any response to treatment were high. Our results are consistent with the presence of lymphocyte exhaustion and open new research perspectives to improve the prognosis of patients with this severe disease.
small molecules
2026-09-24 | A Multiphase Implementation of Ring Treatment: A Community-Engaged Control Program for T. Solium taeniasis/cysticercosis in Northern Peru.
Cysticercosis (CC) is a zoonotic disease transmitted between pigs and humans, caused by the larval stage of T. solium that leads to neurological morbidity in humans and economic losses in pig-farming communities in low-resource rural regions. Ring Treatment (RT) is an evidence-based intervention that integrates a community participatory approach to provide antiparasitic treatment to households within 100-meters of an infected pig. This study aimed to evaluate the multiphase implementation of RT as a public health program in northern Peru, with a focus on feasibility, adoption, and sustainability. We conducted a multi-method, three-phase implementation study from 2019-2025 in Tumbes, Peru. Phase 1 involved a formative evaluation using the expanded Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research for low- and middle-income countries. We used semi-structured interviews (n = 169), social network surveys (n = 341), and two process-mapping workshops (n = 26) to describe barriers, facilitators, and RT protocol adaptations. In phase 2, we piloted RT in a small health district, reviewed registries, and conducted community surveys and interviews for quality improvement. In phase 3, we rolled out RT in two districts and applied the RE-AIM framework to assess implementation outcomes. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data underwent rapid qualitative analysis and template analysis (thematic analysis for hierarchical coding). Key facilitators included adaptability of existing health programs and strong engagement with community health workers (CHW) and communities. Barriers included high staff turnover, workload, and resource constraints. The pilot study achieved 75% treatment coverage among eligible populations, increased community knowledge of the CC transmission cycle, and prompted regional-level policy changes. During the RT rollout, 100% of health facilities established RT procedures, with moderate participation in training and treatment (53% and 87%). However, the COVID-19 pandemic and political instability limited the effectiveness of assessments and the completeness of data. RT is feasible and acceptable as a public health program for T. solium control in rural, endemic, low-resource settings. Success hinges on community and CHW involvement, adaptive protocols, and cross-sectoral partnerships. Continued investment in One Health approaches that view the human-animal-environment intersection as central to health is needed to sustain and expand progress in controlling zoonoses.
2026-08-26 | Treatment patterns and access among people with epilepsy of childbearing potential in Peru.
People with epilepsy of childbearing potential in low-resource settings face unique challenges related to anti-seizure medication (ASM) selection and access. These challenges may be particularly pronounced in regions where neurocysticercosis (NCC), a leading cause of acquired epilepsy worldwide, contributes substantially to the burden of disease. We characterized ASM prescribing patterns and factors associated with the use of higher-risk medications among people with epilepsy of childbearing potential in northern Peru. We analyzed data from females aged 15-49 years who were enrolled in a prospective, population-based epilepsy cohort in Tumbes, Peru, from 2006 to 2020. ASMs were categorized according to pregnancy-associated safety profiles as Lower-risk (lamotrigine, levetiracetam, oxcarbazepine, clonazepam, diazepam), Intermediate-High risk (carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, topiramate), and Highest-risk (valproic acid). We evaluated ASM utilization, polytherapy, and factors associated with valproate use, the highest-risk medication. Among 1,975 individuals with epilepsy, 685 were of childbearing potential. Approximately one-third met criteria for probable or definite NCC (34.9%). Nearly all participants (98.6%) were prescribed carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, or valproic acid, while use of newer-generation agents was rare. Most prescriptions (86.3%) were classified as Intermediate-High-risk, and 12.8% as Highest-risk. In multivariable analyses, prior ASM use and polytherapy were independently associated with receipt of valproate. In this population-based epilepsy cohort from northern Peru, ASM treatment among people of childbearing potential was overwhelmingly limited to older medications with an elevated risk of teratogenicity. These prescribing patterns likely reflect medication availability rather than clinical preference and highlight the challenges of implementing guideline-recommended epilepsy care in resource-constrained settings. Given the substantial burden of NCC-related epilepsy in this population, improving access to safer and more diverse ASM options may represent an important strategy for reducing treatment inequities among people with epilepsy of childbearing potential.
2026-08-25 | Pharmacokinetic barriers to oxfendazole flukicidal efficacy.
Although oxfendazole (OFZ) has been traditionally used to control nematode parasites in domestic animals and more recently in human medicine, high efficacy against porcine cysticercosis and fasciolosis in both sheep and pigs has been observed when the drug is administered at higher dose levels. In this context, the plasma disposition kinetics and the pattern of drug accumulation in adult Fasciola hepatica was characterized in infected sheep orally treated with OFZ at either the nematodicidal dose of 5 mg/kg (OFZ5) or at a higher dose of 30 mg/kg (OFZ30). OFZ was the main analyte detected in plasma of treated sheep. The systemic exposure (AUC0-LOQ) increased from 17.9 ± 3.71 µg.h/mL at the therapeutic dose to 85.4 ± 22.6 µg.h/mL with the highest dose treatment. The plasma Cmax value was approximately fourfold higher in the OFZ30 compared to the OFZ5 treated animals. The dose-related marked differences in OFZ systemic exposure were reflected in the accumulation into F. hepatica specimens, which was 332% higher in the OFZ30 group (4.28 µg/g) than in the OFZ5 group (0.99 µg/g). The data shown here demonstrate that increasing the OFZ dose is associated with enhanced plasma drug exposure and greater accumulation in the target trematode parasite, which helps to explain the enhanced efficacy of OFZ against adult liver flukes at the 30 mg/kg dose.
2026-07-01 | The great escape: Spontaneous conjunctival cysticercus expulsion in a child – A case report and literature review
A 12-year-old girl presented with a progressively enlarging, cystic swelling in the inferotemporal conjunctiva of the left eye for 4 months. Ocular examination revealed a tense, immobile subconjunctival cyst (1.5 × 1.5 cm) with normal vision. B-scan and computed tomography (CT) scan of the orbit confirmed a cystic lesion without a definite scolex. A provisional diagnosis of subconjunctival cysticercosis was made, and oral albendazole was initiated. Remarkably, within two days, the intact cyst extruded spontaneously through the conjunctiva with complete resolution of symptoms in 2 weeks. Spontaneous expulsion of ocular cysticercosis is rare, with only a few reported cases in the literature. This case highlights the importance of recognizing such presentations of subconjunctival cysticercosis and its potential for spontaneous resolution with medical therapy. We also reviewed the literature on these cases, highlighting the treatments administered prior to the event and the proposed mechanisms underlying such extrusion.
2026-06-29 | Eosinophilia in the Tropics: Should Empirical Anthelmintic Treatment Be Considered Standard Practice? A Prospective Cohort Study.
Eosinophilia is a common clinical finding with diverse etiologies. Helminthiasis is a major aetiology in tropical regions, but data from haematology consultation services at tertiary centres in endemic settings are limited. To determine the prevalence of helminthiasis among patients with eosinophilia at a tropical tertiary care centre and identify clinical and laboratory characteristics differentiating helminth from non-helminth etiologies. A prospective cohort study with predefined retrospective outcome classification was conducted at Siriraj Hospital, Thailand (January 2022 to November 2023) in adult patients with blood eosinophilia above 500 cells/μL. All patients underwent helminth screening through stool examination and serological testing for strongyloidiasis, gnathostomiasis, angiostrongyliasis, filariasis and cysticercosis, and received empirical ivermectin or albendazole with monthly follow-up for 6 months. Among 131 patients, 76 (58.0%) were diagnosed with helminthiasis, comprising 49 definite (laboratory-confirmed) and 27 probable (treatment-response-defined) infections. Strongyloidiasis (53.1%) was most common among definite infections, followed by gnathostomiasis (40.8%) and cysticercosis (26.5%), with multiple infections in 24.5% of definite cases. The median time to absolute eosinophil count (AEC) normalization was 1.0 month (IQR: 1.0-2.0), with 93.4% normalizing within 3 months. Probable infections were significantly associated with soil contact and forest travel (all p < 0.05), while definite infections were associated with organism-specific exposures (all p < 0.05). Patients aged 75 years or above showed significantly lower AEC at presentation (adjusted geometric mean ratio 0.52, 95% CI: 0.31-0.89, p = 0.017). Leukopenia and hypoalbuminemia were more prevalent in non-infectious etiologies. Helminthiasis was identified in more than half of patients with eosinophilia at a tropical tertiary haematology service. Empirical anthelmintic therapy effectively normalized eosinophilia in the majority within 3 months, supporting its use as a standard initial approach in endemic settings. Detailed exposure anamnesis and concurrent evaluation for non-helminth etiologies, particularly in patients with leukopenia or hypoalbuminemia, should be routinely performed.
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2026-09-10 | An updated estimate of the proportion of neurocysticercosis among people with epileptic seizures: a systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis.
Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is an infection of the central nervous system caused by the larval stage of Taenia solium. This systematic review (PROSPERO identifier: CRD42021266596) aimed to estimate the pooled proportion of NCC among people with epileptic seizures (PWES) between 1990 and 2023, and to assess whether this proportion changed between January 1990 to May 2008 and June 2008 to May 2023 across endemic regions. Twenty electronic databases were searched in May 2023 for records on NCC published between January 1, 1990, and May 9, 2023. Two reviewers independently screened all records. Original studies that reported NCC frequency among PWES, used neuroimaging, biopsy, or autopsy to diagnose NCC, and were not prone to high level of selection bias were included. Reviews, book-chapters and case series with fewer than 20 participants were excluded. Methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for prevalence studies. Bayesian models were used to estimate pooled NCC proportions and assess their changes by study periods and regions. Among 16,202 screened records, 77 studies met the inclusion criteria. Thirty-five studies included PWES from both sexes, all age groups (children and adults), and used clear case definitions. The pooled proportion of NCC among PWES in these studies was 25.2% [95% Bayesian credible interval (BCI): 19.5%-32.2%], with fairly-high between-study heterogeneity (τ = 1.0; 95% BCI: 0.8-1.3). Studies without clear definitions for NCC or epileptic seizures reported considerably lower proportions, suggesting misclassification error. NCC proportion did not vary by sex or age. NCC proportion declined between June 2008 and May 2023, across Africa, the Americas and Southeast Asia. This study provides an updated estimate of NCC proportion among PWES between 1990 and 2023, with implications for burden estimation, and highlights its decline in endemic regions. However, substantial between-study heterogeneity indicates context-specific differences; therefore, the pooled estimates should be interpreted cautiously and not as universally generalizable. Further research should determine whether the observed decline in NCC proportion is real or reflects an apparent reduction resulting from changes in case definitions, study populations, neuroimaging technologies, or underlying causes of epileptic seizures.
2026-09-07 | Neuroimaging Features of an Experimental Model of Extraparenchymal Neurocysticercosis.
To retrospectively evaluate magnetic resonance images acquired from rats subjected to a murine model of extraparenchymal neurocysticercosis. The model consisted of injecting 50 Taenia crassiceps cysticerci into the cisterna magna of Wistar rats. To validate disease induction, magnetic resonance imaging was performed, focusing on the assessment of hydrocephalus and cysts distribution throughout the cerebrospinal fluid compartments. Ventricular dilation was quantified using the frontal horn ratio (FHR), calculated by dividing the maximal width of the frontal horns by the inner-table internal diameter. Intracranial abnormalities were found 63.0% of the animals, predominantly ventricular dilation (> 90%), mainly involving the lateral ventricles. The most affected compartments were the cisterna magna (85.2%) and supratentorial basal cisterns (78.8%). Cysts were identified in the cerebral convexity in 10.6% of cases and in the subcutaneous tissue in 39.2% of infected animals. The mean FHR was 0.62 ± 0.13. Higher FHR values were associated with the presence of cysts in the CSF, but not in the subcutaneous tissue (p = 0.743). The translational relevance of this extraparenchymal NCC model is underscored by neuroimaging findings that closely resemble the human condition, providing a valuable platform for future mechanistic studies on pathogenesis and treatment development.
2026-08-26 | The TPx Protein of Cysticercus cellulosae Promotes an IL-10-Producing Regulatory B Cell Phenotype in Human B Lymphoblastoid Cells via the cAMP/CREB Pathway.
Thioredoxin peroxidase (TPx) derived from Taenia solium cysticerci (Cysticercus cellulosae) mediates immune evasion by disrupting T cell subset homeostasis. However, its effect on regulatory B cells (Bregs) and the underlying mechanism remain unknown. We stimulated GM12878 B cells with TPx and assessed Breg differentiation by flow cytometry, ELISA, and RT-qPCR. We evaluated the function of TPx-pretreated B cells in co-culture with T cells. We then combined RNA sequencing, Western blot, ELISA, and pharmacological inhibition to identify the signaling pathway involved. TPx increased the CD19+CD24hiCD27+ Breg subset in a time-dependent manner, peaking at 72 h. This effect was accompanied by enhanced IL-10 secretion and upregulated transcription of IL-10, TGF-β, and IL-35. TPx-pretreated B cells reduced CD4+ T-cell blastogenesis (cell size) and the CD4+ fraction of the co-culture and increased the frequency of cells with a CD4+CD25+CD127- Treg-like surface phenotype. RNA sequencing identified cAMP-related pathways as central to this process. TPx elevated intracellular cAMP and activated the PKA/CREB phosphorylation cascade, whereas the adenylyl cyclase inhibitor SQ22536 reversed TPx-induced Breg differentiation and IL-10 secretion. In this human B cell line model, TPx promotes acquisition of a Breg-like phenotype in an adenylyl cyclase-dependent manner, revealing a novel mechanism of cysticercosis-associated immune evasion.
2026-03-01 | Cysticercosis in Laos: Prevalence, risk factors and predictive mapping.
Neurocysticercosis due to Taenia solium is the leading cause of preventable epilepsy in low and middle-income countries. This study describes the first national cysticercosis serosurvey in the Mekong region and the first national predicted prevalence map in Asia. Two thousand two hundred and sixty-two individuals from 149 random villages across Laos provided serum samples that were tested for cysticercosis using the B158/B60 antigen ELISA. Participants compelted individual questionnaires on risk factors for cysticercosis. Logistic regression with random spatial effects was used to determine significant risk factors. A second geostatistical model using readily available national datasets at the village level produced predicted prevalence maps across the country. The overall study prevalence was 5.31% (95% CI: 4.44 - 6.29%), with cases detected throughout the country. Prevalence varied significantly between villages with a minimum of 0.00% (95% CI: 0.00 - 5.78%) in some villages and maximum of 43.75% (95% CI: 22.16 - 67.39%) in others, supporting the evidence for cysticercosis hotspots. Sex, wealth index and region were all significant risk factors based on individual responses, whilst distance to the nearest city and poverty were the only significant factors in the national predictive model. Cysticercosis was found throughout Laos, challenging the previous belief that it was primarily a disease of northern Laos. The significant association with wealth and poverty in both models highlights the need for socioeconomic considerations in disease control. Many of the high predicted prevalence areas exist along the borders with Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam suggesting that cross-border or regional approaches may be beneficial.
2026-02-26 | Prevalence of neurocysticercosis and its characteristics among people with epileptic seizures and progressively worsening severe headaches in 60 villages in three provinces of Burkina Faso.
Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a common cause of epilepsy in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Few studies have described neuroimaging findings in individuals with headaches in addition to epilepsy. Our aim was therefore to describe the types of NCC lesions seen on cerebral computed tomography (cCT), among participants with progressively worsening severe headaches (PWSH) and epilepsy living in 60 villages in Burkina Faso, and to determine the prevalence of NCC in these groups,. Data from a screening questionnaire for epilepsy and PWSH and subsequent neurological examination were gathered as part of a baseline cross-sectional component of a cluster randomized controlled trial conducted between February 2011 and January 2012. Those screening positive and a sub-sample of individuals screening negative were investigated by one of the two physicians in the field. Participants for whom the physician confirmed the presence of the neurological signs/symptoms of interest were invited for cCT. Participants receiving cCT were tested for the presence of circulating cysticercal antigens using the B158/B60 Ag-ELISA and of antibodies using the rT24H EITB. For all individuals undergoing cCT, observed lesions were radiology categorized as active, degenerated or inactive based on recommendations from the literature, or uncertain, when radiologists were unsure whether they met the definitions. These individuals were finally clinically categorized as definitive or probable cases of NCC according to the internationally recognized diagnostic criteria for NCC, or as uncertain cases of NCC when radiologists were unsure about the lesions. A total of 249 individuals were diagnosed with the neurological signs/symptoms of interest by the physicians. Upon further review by the neurologist, 9 were found to have no neurological signs/symptoms of interest, 109 were diagnosed with epilepsy, 116 with PWSH, and 15 with both. In total, there were 17 definitive NCC cases, 13 probable cases, and 15 cases with an uncertain NCC diagnosis. Among individuals with epilepsy and PWSH, the prevalence of NCC (based on the clinical categorization as definitive or probable NCC cases) was 16.9% (21/124, 95% CI: 10.8%-24.7%) and 7.6% (10/131, 95% CI: 3.7%-13.6%), respectively. Of the definitive or probable NCC cases, 46.7% tested positive for the rT24H EITB (14/30), and 33.3% had a positive Ag-ELISA result (10/30). Among these cases, there were a total of 19 with active lesions, of which 11 showed viable lesions with a scolex, and 6 without, and 2 with degenerating lesions), whereas 29 had inactive (calcified) lesions including 11 mixed lesions. This study is one of the first to provide an estimate for the prevalence of NCC in people with PWSH on the African continent. Furthermore, the findings confirm significant regional variation in the prevalence of NCC cases in people with epilepsy and underscore the need for further research into the inflammatory response to T. solium larvae. Limitations included diagnostic challenges, time delays between assessments, and potential underestimation of the prevalence of NCC due to neuroimaging constraints.
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2025-10-10 | Novel Oral papaya-based preventive and therapeutic vaccine for controlling different zoonotic Taeniid parasites: Current advances.
Zoonotic infections caused by Taenia and Echinococcus species are the most significant Taeniid parasitic diseases affecting human and animal health, particularly in regions with poor sanitation. Vaccination of intermediate hosts has proven effective in controlling these parasitic infections. In the case of Echinococcosis, targeted immunization programs have led to marked reductions in transmission, although global eradication remains unachieved. Similarly, sustained vaccination studies for cysticercosis have demonstrated the feasibility of interrupting transmission cycles. This review summarizes the current state of progress in the development of a novel, low-cost oral vaccine against zoonotic Taeniid parasites employing Carica papaya tissue cultures as a biofactory system. KETc7, a highly conserved protective antigen among Taeniid species, has been expressed in this plant tissue culture-based platform. C. papaya serves not only as an efficient vehicle for oral immunization but also exhibits intrinsic anthelmintic properties. The Taeniid oral papaya vaccine formulation consists of aqueous extracts from KETc7-transgenic papaya cells, combined with anthelmintic aqueous extracts derived from wild-type C. papaya cells. Importantly, transgenic and non-transgenic C. papaya cells suspension cultures were optimized under reproducible conditions to enable scalable production for the vaccine. By integrating biological knowledge of Taeniid parasites with advances in plant biotechnology, this review highlights the advances of a dual-action oral vaccine, both preventive and therapeutic, as a strategy to control with one vaccine different Taeniid infections in endemic regions, particularly where conventional injectable vaccination is limited by logistical and economic restrictions.
2024-05-23 | Taenia solium cysticerci's extracellular vesicles Attenuate the AKT/mTORC1 pathway for Alleviating DSS-induced colitis in a murine model.
The excretory-secretory proteome plays a pivotal role in both intercellular communication during disease progression and immune escape mechanisms of various pathogens including cestode parasites like Taenia solium. The cysticerci of T. solium causes infection in the central nervous system known as neurocysticercosis (NCC), which affects a significant population in developing countries. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are 30-150-nm-sized particles and constitute a significant part of the secretome. However, the role of EV in NCC pathogenesis remains undetermined. Here, for the first time, we report that EV from T. solium larvae is abundant in metabolites that can negatively regulate PI3K/AKT pathway, efficiently internalized by macrophages to induce AKT and mTOR degradation through auto-lysosomal route with a prominent increase in the ubiquitination of both proteins. This results in less ROS production and diminished bacterial killing capability among EV-treated macrophages. Due to this, both macro-autophagy and caspase-linked apoptosis are upregulated, with a reduction of the autophagy substrate sequestome 1. In summary, we report that T. solium EV from viable cysts attenuates the AKT-mTOR pathway thereby promoting apoptosis in macrophages, and this may exert immunosuppression during an early viable stage of the parasite in NCC, which is primarily asymptomatic. Further investigation on EV-mediated immune suppression revealed that the EV can protect the mice from DSS-induced colitis and improve colon architecture. These findings shed light on the previously unknown role of T. solium EV and the therapeutic role of their immune suppression potential.
2022-09-08 | Improvement of cell suspension cultures of transformed and untransformed Carica papaya cell lines, towards the development of an antiparasitic product against the gastrointestinal nematode Haemonchus contortus
Parasitic diseases have a major impact on human and animal health worldwide. Despite the availability of effective anti-parasitic drugs, their excessive and uncontrolled use has promoted the emergence of drug resistance, severely affecting ecosystems and human health. Thus, developing environmentally friendly antiparasitic treatments is urgently needed. Carica papaya has shown promising effects against infectious diseases. C. papaya embryogenic calluses were genetically modified by our research team to insert immunogenic peptides with the goal of developing an oral anti-cysticercosis vaccine. Among these callus cell lines, one labeled as CF-23, which expresses the KETc7 immunogenic peptide, induced the highest protection levels against experimental cysticercosis. In the process of designing a natural antiparasitic product based on C. papaya that simultaneously induced immunity against cysticercosis, both transformed (SF-23) and untransformed (SF-WT) suspension cultures were produced and optimized. Our results showed a better duplication time (td) for SF-23 (6.9 days) than SF-WT (13.02 days); thus, the SF-23 line was selected for scale-up in a 2-L airlift bioreactor, reaching a td of 4.4 days. This is the first time that a transgenic line of C. papaya has been grown in an airlift bioreactor, highlighting its potential for scale-up cultivation in this type of reactor. Considering the previously reported nematocidal activity of C. papaya tissues, their activity against the nematode Haemonchus contortus of aqueous extracts of SF-WT and SF-23 was explored in this study, with promising results. The information herein reported will allow us to continue the cultivation of the transgenic cell suspension line of C. papaya under reproducible conditions, to develop a new anti-parasitic product.
2022-06-14 | Analysis of immune response in BALB/c mice immunized with recombinant plasmids pMZ-X3-Ts14-3-3.3 and pMZ-X3-sp-Ts14-3-3.3 of Taenia solium.
There is a lack of vaccine against human cysticercosis, thus making a huge population at the risk of infection. In this study, we chose a novel potential antigen molecule Taenia solium 14-3-3.3 (Ts14-3-3.3) and optimized it as sp-Ts14-3-3.3 (sp is immunoglobulin H chain V-region precursor, partial) in order to construct recombinant plasmids pMZ-X3-Ts14-3-3.3 and pMZ-X3-sp-Ts14-3-3.3. BALB/c mice were divided into four groups for immunization: pMZ-X3-Ts14-3-3.3, pMZ-X3-sp-Ts14-3-3.3, pMZ-X3 plasmid control group and PBS control group. Compared with two control groups, the proliferation level of splenic lymphocytes increased significantly in pMZ-X3-Ts14-3-3.3 and pMZ-X3-sp-Ts14-3-3.3 groups and reached the maximum in week 6. And the same case arose as cytokines associated with Th1 response, IFN-γ, and IL-2 while those with Th2 response, IL-4, IL-10 went up and reached the maximum in week 4. The levels of serum specific IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a rose and reached the maximum in week 6, 4 and 6, respectively. Meanwhile, the proportion of CD4+/CD8+ splenic T lymphocytes increased and reached the peak in week 6. The results indicated that the recombinant plasmids pMZ-X3-Ts14-3-3.3 and pMZ-X3-sp-Ts14-3-3.3 can induce specific cellular and humoral immune responses in BALB/c mice with immunization. Notably, the recombinant plasmid pMZ-X3-sp-Ts14-3-3.3 has a better immune effect, which proves that Ts14-3-3.3 enjoys a higher possibility as a potential antigen molecule to T. solium vaccine.
2021-11-29 | Identification and functional characterization of the siRNA pathway in Taenia crassiceps by silencing Enolase A.
A gene silencing procedure on cysticerci of the taeniid cestode Taenia crassiceps is described. This is the first time this technique is reported in this species that is widely used as an animal model for human cysticercosis. Genome database searches were performed in order to find out if relevant genes involved in gene silencing and non-coding RNA processing, Argonaute and Dicer (AGO and Dcr) are present in T. crassiceps. We found three AGO and two Dcr orthologues that were designed TcAGO1, Tc2 and Tc3, as well as TcDcr1 and TcDcr2. In order to elucidate the evolutionary relationships of T. crassiceps TcAGO and TcDcr genes, separate phylogenetic analyses were carried out for each, including AGO and Dcr orthologues of other 20 platyhelminthes. Our findings showed a close phylogenetic relationship of TcAGO and TcDcr with those previously described for Echinococcus spp. Our RT-PCR studies demonstrated expression of all TcAGO and TcDcr orthologues. Our results show that the gene silencing machinery in T. crassiceps is functionally active by inducing silencing of TcEnoA (∼90%). These results clearly show that gene silencing using siRNAs can be used as a molecular methodology to study gene function in taeniid cestodes.
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Drug Discovery Landscape
4 orphan drug designations for Cysticercosis, including 1 approved therapy.
4 orphan drug designations for Cysticercosis, including 1 approved therapy.
Drug | Therapy type | Orphan designation | Clinical trial status | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
oxfendazole | small molecules | FDA | Oxfendazole Development Group | |
oxfendazole | small molecules | FDA | Robert H. Gilman, MD, DTMH and | |
Albendazole [Albenza] | small molecules | FDA | Approved | Impax Laboratories, LLC |
Praziquantel | small molecules | FDA | EM Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |
“Terminated” – programs with discontinued clinical trials, or with no updates reported for 5 years after completion or 12 years after the last trial started.
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