Taenia Solium IgG (cysticercosis)

Infection of the larval form (cysticerci) of Taenia in any tissue or organ is known as the disease cysticercosis. Many sites of infection have been documented but the central nervous system has been the most common. Presence of the cysticerci in the brain may cause increased cranial pressure, seizures and altered mental states. Any person with impaired CNS function should have the possibility of T. solium infection investigated. The disease is acquired by ingestion of T. solium eggs from a number of different routes; including food contaminated with feces, unclean hands of T. solium infected workers, contaminated water or gastric reflux in tapeworm carriers. Cysticercosis is rare in most industrialized nations but is endemic in developing areas such as Latin America, Asia and Africa. Most of the cases of cysticercosis in the United States are associated with immigrants from these countries. Reliable diagnosis of cysticercosis requires multiple testing methods such as radiography and serology. Although use of cyst vesicular antigen has helped to increase its sensitivity and specificity, significant cross reactions with Echinococcosis occurs. If Echinococcus infection cannot be ruled out in the differential diagnosis, a positive sample should be confirmed by other means (i.e. immunoblot offered by the CDC) or by other non-serological means.