title: Subcutaneous cysticercosis diagnosed by mitochondrial DNA analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cysticercosis is caused by the larval stage of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. Central nervous system, eyes, skeletal muscle, and subcutaneous tissue are the most frequent sites of involvement.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case of subcutaneous larval cestode where no diagnostic histological features such as scolex or bladder wall can be seen on serial sections. Identification of the pathogen was attempted using mitochondrial DNA analysis of the histopathologic specimen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of PCR-amplified DNA sequences targeting T. solium mitochondrial cox1 gene and cob gene confirmed the diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When characteristic morphology is absent in histopathology specimen, mitochondrial DNA diagnosis is a powerful tool for a definitive diagnosis of cysticercosis. The DNA diagnosis using such histopathologic specimens would also be applicable for identification of other parasites as extensive DNA sequence data are currently available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Chin
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Chien-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yu-Huei
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chein-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Chia-Kwung
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Chih-Hsun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000473:pathology*; D003552:Cysticercus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000032:analysis*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis*; D005546:Forehead / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000469:parasitology; D040521:Subcutaneous Tissue / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D016054:DNA, Protozoan