Compositions and methods for the detection of Taenia solium and the diagnosis and treatment of T. solium infection are described. T. solium is a species of tape worm, the intestinal infection with which is referred to as Taeniasisis and is acquired by ingestion of T. solium cysticerci found in raw and undercooked pork muscle or food contaminated with human or pig feces. Many infections are asymptomatic but may be characterized by insomnia, anorexia, abdominal pain and weight loss. Cysticercosis is the formation of cysticerci in various body tissue resulting from the migration of the T. solium larvae out of the intestine. Although infection with T. solium is itself not dangerous, cysticercosis can be fatal. The compositions provided include the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the antigenic polypeptides. The polypeptides are useful as research tools for studying T. solium and as reagents in assays for the detection of T. solium antibodies in a biological sample.   

Inventors: Victor Tsang, Ryan M Greene, Patricia P Wilkins, and Kathy Hancock

CDC Reference Number: I-035-98/0

USPTO Serial Number: PCT/US00/21173

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