Characterization and evaluation of three new recombinant antigens of Taenia solium for the immunodiagnosis of cysticercosis.

Cysticerci of Taenia solium cause cysticercosis, with neurocysticercosis (NCC) as the major pathology. Sensible and specific recombinant antigens would be an source of antigen for immunodiagnosis. The objective of this work was the molecular characterization and evaluation, of three news recombinant antigens (TsF78, TsP43 and TsC28), obtained by screening of a Taenia solium cDNA library.

In-plate recapturing of a dual-tagged recombinant Fasciola antigen (FhLAP) by a monoclonal antibody (US9) prevents non-specific binding in ELISA.

Recombinant proteins expressed in E. coli are frequently purified by immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC). By means of this technique, tagged proteins containing a polyhistidine sequence can be obtained up to 95% pure in a single step, but some host proteins also bind with great affinity to metal ions and contaminate the sample.

Interruption of onchocerciasis transmission in Bioko Island: Accelerating the movement from control to elimination in Equatorial Guinea.

Background: Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is a parasitic disease. More than 99 percent of all cases occur in Africa. Bioko Island (Equatorial Guinea) is the only island endemic for onchocerciasis in the world.

Comparison of recombinant cathepsins L1, L2, and L5 as ELISA targets for serodiagnosis of bovine and ovine fascioliasis.

Infections caused by Fasciola hepatica are of great importance in the veterinary field, as they cause important economic losses to livestock producers. Serodiagnostic methods, typically ELISA (with either native or recombinant antigens), are often used for early diagnosis. The use of native antigens, as in the MM3-SERO ELISA (commercialized as BIO K 211, BIO-X Diagnostics), continues to be beneficial in terms of sensitivity and specificity; however, there is interest in developing ELISA tests based on recombinant antigens to avoid the need to culture parasites.

HDP2: a ribosomal DNA (NTS-ETS) sequence as a target for species-specific molecular diagnosis of intestinal taeniasis in humans.

Background: Taenia solium, T. asiatica and T. saginata tapeworms cause human taeniasis and are the origin of porcine and bovine cysticercosis.

Dermatological manifestations in onchocerciasis: A retrospective study of 400 imported cases.

Introduction: Onchocerciasis is caused by Onchocerca volvulus and mainly leads to pruritus and skin and visual disorders, including blindness. Seventeen million people are infected in 38 countries; 31 of these are in sub-Saharan Africa, six in Latin America and one on the Arabian Peninsula. More than 99% of cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa where 120 million people are at risk of infection.

Transplastomic plants yield a multicomponent vaccine against cysticercosis.

Low cost vaccines against cysticercosis are needed to fight this parasitosis, especially in developing countries. Herein polycistron arrangements were designed to accomplish the simultaneous expression of multiple protective antigens from Taenia solium in the plant cell as an attractive biofactory and delivery vehicle of vaccines. Transplastomic plants carrying synthetic polycistrons were able to simultaneously express the KETc1, KETc7, KETc12, GK1, and TSOL18/HP6-Tsol antigens; which retained their antigenicity and ability to induce humoral responses in BALB/c mice.

Fasciola spp: Mapping of the MF6 epitope and antigenic analysis of the MF6p/HDM family of heme-binding proteins.

MF6p/FhHDM-1 is a small cationic heme-binding protein which is recognized by the monoclonal antibody (mAb) MF6, and abundantly present in parenchymal cells and secreted antigens of Fasciola hepatica. Orthologs of this protein (MF6p/HDMs) also exist in other causal agents of important foodborne trematodiasis, such as Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis viverrini and Paragonimus westermani. Considering that MF6p/FhHDM-1 is relevant for heme homeostasis in Fasciola and was reported to have immunomodulatory properties, this protein is expected to be a useful target for vaccination.

Recombinant vs native Anisakis haemoglobin (Ani s 13): Its appraisal as a new gold standard for the diagnosis of allergy.

Recombinant allergens are currently the best option for serodiagnosis of human anisakiasis in terms of sensitivity and specificity. However, previous reports showed high rates of anisakiasis patients who were negative to Ani s 7 and especially to Ani s 1. Recently, Anisakis haemoglobin was described as a major allergen (Ani s 13).

Comparison of T24H-his, GST-T24H and GST-Ts8B2 recombinant antigens in western blot, ELISA and multiplex bead-based assay for diagnosis of neurocysticercosis.

Background: Currently, the reference standard assay for the serodiagnosis of neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the lentil lectin-bound glycoproteins/enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (LLGP-EITB). The main disadvantage of this technique is the complexity of obtaining and purifying the LLGP extract. This could be solved by replacement with highly specific recombinant antigens from Taenia solium.

Delineating distinct heme-scavenging and -binding functions of domains in MF6p/helminth defense molecule (HDM) proteins from parasitic flatworms.

MF6p/FhHDM-1 is a small protein secreted by the parasitic flatworm (trematode) that belongs to a broad family of heme-binding proteins (MF6p/helminth defense molecules (HDMs)). MF6p/HDMs are of interest for understanding heme homeostasis in trematodes and as potential targets for the development of new flukicides. Moreover, interest in these molecules has also increased because of their immunomodulatory properties.

Enterocin AS-48 as Evidence for the Use of Bacteriocins as New Leishmanicidal Agents.

We report the feasibility of enterocin AS-48, a circular cationic peptide produced by , as a new leishmanicidal agent. AS-48 is lethal to promastigotes as well as to axenic and intracellular amastigotes at low micromolar concentrations, with scarce cytotoxicity to macrophages. AS-48 induced a fast bioenergetic collapse of promastigotes but only a partial permeation of their plasma membrane with limited entrance of vital dyes, even at concentrations beyond its full lethality.

Evaluation of onchocerciasis seroprevalence in Bioko Island (Equatorial Guinea) after years of disease control programmes.

Background: Onchocerciasis or "river blindness" is a chronic parasitic disease caused by the filarial worm Onchocerca volvulus, transmitted through infected blackflies (Simulium spp.). Bioko Island (Equatorial Guinea) used to show a high endemicity for onchocerciasis.

Cystic Echinococcosis Epidemiology in Spain Based on Hospitalization Records, 1997-2012.

Background: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a parasitic disease caused by the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. Although present throughout Europe, deficiencies in the official reporting of CE result in under-reporting and misreporting of this disease, which in turn is reflected in the wrong opinion that CE is not an important health problem. By using an alternative data source, this study aimed at describing the clinical and temporal-spatial characteristics of CE hospitalizations in Spain between 1997 and 2012.

Evidence for Suppression of Onchocerciasis Transmission in Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea.

Onchocerciasis or "river blindness" is a chronic parasitic neglected tropical disease which is endemic both in mainland and insular Equatorial Guinea. We aim to estimate the current epidemiological situation of onchocerciasis in Bioko Island after vector elimination in 2005 and more than sixteen years of Community Directed Treatment with Ivermectin (CDTI) by using molecular and serological approaches for onchocerciasis diagnosis. A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in Bioko Island from mid-January to mid-February 2014.

Towards the development of an oral vaccine against porcine cysticercosis: expression of the protective HP6/TSOL18 antigen in transgenic carrots cells.

The Taenia solium HP6/TSOL18 antigen was produced in carrot cells, yielding an immunogenic protein that induced significant protection in an experimental murine model against T. crassiceps cysticercosis when orally administered. This result supports the potential of HP6/TSOL18-carrot as a low-cost anti-cysticercosis vaccine candidate.

Genetic variability of Trypanosoma cruzi TcI isolates from rural and urban areas of Venezuela.

Background & Objectives: Several studies have demonstrated genetic heterogeneity in populations of Trypanosoma cruzi that allowed the identification of six different discrete typing units (DTU) classified as TcI, TcII, TcIII, TcIV, TcV and TcVI. Furthermore, some characterization studies have described genetic variability within TcI isolates from endemic regions. The objective of the present study was to analyze Venezuelan T.

Expression of Multiple Taenia Solium Immunogens in Plant Cells Through a Ribosomal Skip Mechanism.

Taenia solium cysticercosis is a major parasitic disease that affects the human health and the economy in underdeveloped countries. Porcine cysticercosis, an obligatory stage in the parasite life cycle, is a suitable target for vaccination. While several recombinant and synthetic antigens proved to be effective as vaccines, the cost and logistic difficulties have prevented their massive use.

Application of real-time PCR for the detection of Strongyloides spp. in clinical samples in a reference center in Spain.

Strongyloidiasis is one of the major intestinal helminthic infections in humans with a worldwide distribution, affecting especially tropical and subtropical regions. This disease can occur without any symptoms or as a potentially fatal hyperinfection or disseminated infection. Definitive diagnosis of Strongyloides stercoralis infection relies mainly on demonstration of larvae in stool, but at present there is no gold standard for this diagnosis.

Comparative assessment of ELISAs using recombinant saposin-like protein 2 and recombinant cathepsin L-1 from Fasciola hepatica for the serodiagnosis of human Fasciolosis.

Two recombinant Fasciola hepatica antigens, saposin-like protein-2 (recSAP2) and cathepsin L-1 (recCL1), were assessed individually and in combination in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for the specific serodiagnosis of human fasciolosis in areas of low endemicity as encountered in Central Europe. Antibody detection was conducted using ProteinA/ProteinG (PAG) conjugated to alkaline phosphatase. Test characteristics as well as agreement with results from an ELISA using excretory-secretory products (FhES) from adult stage liver flukes was assessed by receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis, specificity, sensitivity, Youdens J and overall accuracy.