title: Taenia solium DNA is present in the cerebrospinal fluid of neurocysticercosis patients and can be used for diagnosis.
abstract: Neurocysticercosis is the most frequent parasitic infection of the CNS and the main cause of acquired epilepsy worldwide. Seizures are the most common symptoms of the disease, together with headache, involuntary movements, psychosis and a global mental deterioration. Absolute diagnostic criteria include the identification of cysticerci, with scolex, in the brain by MRI imaging. We demonstrate here, for the first time, that T. solium DNA is present in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients. The PCR amplification of the parasite DNA in the CSF enabled the correct identification of 29/30 cases (96.7 %). The PCR diagnosis of parasite DNA in the CSF may be a strong support for the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurociências (LIM27), Instituto e Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP), R. Dr.Ovídio Pires de Campos, s/n - 3o andar, 05403-010 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carolina R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Elida P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Ojopi
authors.forename: Cáris M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Luis R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Osvaldo M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Takayanagui
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Livramento
authors.forename: Ronaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: Wagner F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Gattaz
authors.forename: Adelaide J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Vaz
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dias-Neto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D004247:DNA / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D041201:Taenia solium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D004247:DNA