Serological studies on pigs experimentally infected with Taenia solium or Taenia hydatigena

Abstract

Pigs were infected with either Taenia solium or T. hydatigena eggs and the course of infection was followed using double diffusion tests for precipitating antibodies, the passive haemagglutination test for agglutinating antibodies and the immediate intradermal and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reactions. No precipitins were detected. The passive haemagglutination test comprised a homologous system with pig red blood cells and serum from the same animals as stabilizer. It proved highly sensitive but not specific, the antigen of T. hydatigena cyst reacting with antiserum of T. solium infested pigs, but not vice versa. The titres bore some relationship to the level of infection given, but not with the number of cysts found at necropsy. Animals reinfected with T. solium had fewer cysts when killed than once-infected animals and no anamnestic response was seen. The results of the immediate intradermal reaction were equivocal. Using the sera of pigs infected with either organism positive PCA reactions were obtained at 4, but not at 72, hours after challenge with antigen. The specificity and low order of reactions are discussed. Antibody produced in rabbits immunized against T. solium or T. hydatigena became passively fixed to pig skin and was detectable in the 4 hour PCA reaction.