Title
Carotid taenia solium oncosphere infection: A novel porcine neurocysticercosis model
Date Issued
01 January 2018
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Alroy K.A.
Lopez T.
Alroy J.
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
Publisher(s)
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Abstract
Neurocysticercosis (NCC), the infection of the human central nervous system (CNS) with larval cysts of Taenia solium causes widespread neurological morbidity. Animal models are crucial for studying the pathophysiology and treatment of NCC. Some drawbacks of current NCC models include differences in the pathogenesis of the model and wild-type parasite, low rates of infection efficiency and lack of reproducibility. We describe a novel porcine model that recreates infection in the CNS with high efficiency. Activated oncospheres, either in a high (45,000-50,000) or low (10,000) dose were inoculated in the common carotid artery of 12 pigs by ultrasound-guided catheterization. Following oncosphere injection, either a high (30 mL) or low (1-3 mL) volume of saline flush was also administered. Cyst burden in the CNS was evaluated independently according to oncosphere dose and flush volume. Neurocysticercosis was achieved in 8/12 (66.7%) pigs. Cyst burden in the CNS of pigs was higher in the high versus the low oncosphere dose category (median: 4.5; interquartile ranges [IQR]: 1-8 and median: 1; IQR: 0-4, respectively) and in the high versus the low flush volume category (median 5.5; IQR: 1-8 and median: 1; IQR: 0-2, respectively), although not statistically different. All cysts in the CNS were viable, whereas both viable and degenerated cysts were found in the musculature. Carotid injection of activated oncospheres in pigs is effective in reproducing NCC. Oncosphere entry into the CNS by way of vasculature mimics wild-type infection, and provides a useful alternative for future investigations on the pathogenesis and antiparasitic treatment of NCC.
Start page
380
End page
387
Volume
99
Issue
2
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Neurociencias
Enfermedades infecciosas
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85051082778
PubMed ID
Source
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
ISSN of the container
00029637
Sponsor(s)
This study was supported by the Fogarty International Center at the National Institutes of Health (NIH, training grants numbers D43TW008273-05 and D42TW001140) and by Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows Program at Vanderbilt University (grant number R24 TW007988).
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus