The association between seizures and deposition of collagen in the brain in porcine Taenia solium neurocysticercosis

Nina M Christensen,Chiara Trevisan,Páll S Leifsson,Maria V Johansen

doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.09.008

Nina M Christensen, Chiara Trevisan + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.09.008

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Journal: Veterinary Parasitology	Publication Date: Sep 1, 2016
Citations: 4	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: University of Copenhagen

Abstract

Neurocysticercosis caused by infection with Taenia solium is a significant cause of epilepsy and seizures in humans. The aim of this study was to assess the association between seizures and the deposition of collagen in brain tissue in pigs with T. solium neurocysticercosis. In total 78 brain tissue sections from seven pigs were examined histopathologically i.e. two pigs with epileptic seizures and T. solium cysts, four pigs without seizures but with cysts, and one non-infected control pig.Pigs with epileptic seizures had a larger amount of collagen in their brain tissue, showing as large fibrotic scars and moderate amount of collagen deposited around cysts, compared to pigs without seizures and the negative control pig. Our results indicate that collagen is likely to play a considerable part in the pathogenesis of seizures in T. solium neurocysticercosis.

Highlights

Taenia solium is the causative agent of neurocysticercosis in humans and pigs due to lodging of cysticerci in the central nervous system
Large fibrotic scars observed in one pig with seizures and absence of no or minimal amount of collagen around a proportion of cysticerci in pigs without seizures accounted for this difference
These findings indicate that the deposition of collagen in the brain and seizures in porcine T. solium neurocysticercosis are possibly associated variables

Summary

Introduction

Taenia solium is the causative agent of neurocysticercosis in humans and pigs due to lodging of cysticerci in the central nervous system. Epileptic seizures account for the majority of clinical manifestations in human T. solium neurocysticercosis (Garcia et al, 2003). Trevisan et al (2016) reported for the first time seizures in pigs with T. solium neurocysticercosis (Trevisan et al, 2016). What triggers the development of seizures in T. solium neurocysticercosis is not clearly determined. A local inflammatory response evoked by antigen release from degenerating cysticerci has been associated with seizure development, but the degree of inflammation cannot predict the clinical outcome in all cases. Deposition of collagen type I around brain cysticerci has been described in both human and porcine specimens (Alvarez et al, 2002; Restrepo et al, 2001)

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