title: Validation of an immunohistochemical assay for bovine cysticercosis, with comparison to a standard histological method.
abstract: The larval stage (syn Cysticercus bovis) of the human tapeworm Taenia saginata causes cysticercosis in cattle, which has both aesthetic and food safety implications to consumers of beef. A monoclonal antibody-based immunohistochemical (IHC) assay developed to improve postmortem diagnosis of this parasite and a standard histological method were assessed to determine their fitness for intended use. Sections from 169 known-positive specimens of T. saginata from experimentally or naturally infected cattle, and from 30 known-negative specimens and lesions of various etiologies from non-infected cattle, were tested. The IHC assay identified significantly more known positive bovine cysticerci than the histological method (91.7% and 38.5%, respectively). Positive IHC staining occurred on sections from other cestode species, but should not affect the diagnostic specificity of this assay for bovine cysticercosis, due to the different host and/or tissue preferences amongst these parasites. Use of the IHC assay should improve the reliability of diagnosing lesions caused by degenerated cysticerci, facilitating more effective and efficient control of bovine cysticercosis.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Food-borne and Animal Parasitology, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Saskatoon Laboratory, 116 Veterinary Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 2R3, Canada. brad.scandrett@inspection.gc.ca
authors.forename: W Brad
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Scandrett
authors.forename: Deborah M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Haines
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Lorry B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Forbes
authors.forename: Jef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: Stanny
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geerts
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dorny
authors.forename: Alvin A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Gajadhar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results