Evaluation of excretory secretory and 10-30 kDa antigens of Taenia solium Cysticerci by EITB assay for the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis

Abstract

Neurocysticercosis (NCC), caused by the presence of Taenia solium Cysticerci in the Central Nervous System is the most common neurological disease of parasite aetiology. The serodiagnostic methods available at present have variable sensitivity and specificity depending upon the antigen and technique used. The present study was aimed to assess the efficacy of T. solium Cysticerci excretory secretory (ES) and lower molecular mass (LMM) 10-30 kDa antigenic fractions for antibody detection in serum and urine samples by enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) for the diagnosis of NCC. Serum and urine samples were collected from 125 clinically suspected and radiologically proven NCC children (111 patients with single lesion and 14 with multiple lesions) and 125 control subjects. With the use of ES and LMM antigenic fractions, the sensitivity of the EITB assay was 85.6% and 80.8% with serum and 76.8% and 50.4% with urine, respectively. The specificity was 64% and 61.6% with serum and 48% and 33.6% with urine samples, respectively. The study suggests that antibody detection to ES antigen in serum by EITB assay may serve better purpose for the serodiagnosis of human NCC.