title: Evolution, molecular epidemiology and perspectives on the research of taeniid parasites with special emphasis on Taenia solium.
abstract: Human cysticercosis is known since old historical times in Greece and China; however, human infections by tapeworms have accompanied human beings for more that hundred thousand years. The disease is tightly bound to poverty and lack of hygiene, and has been eradicated in developed countries, but continues being a public health problem in developing countries of Latin-American, Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, and is also remerging in a number of non endemic countries. It is considered a neglected disease. Here we revise a number of key scientific contributions on taeniid biology that open new avenues for more effective approaches to the control of cysticercosis. The evolution of flatworms and class Cestoda is analyzed, with special emphasis on the emergence of taeniid parasites and the colonization of the human species by tapeworms. The complex molecular host-parasite interplay in this relationship as result of co-evolution between two distantly related organisms. The relevant host and parasite's factors, in the prospect of identifying species-specific molecular markers useful in epidemiological studies carried out in endemic countries. The new possibilities arising with the characterization of the genomes for several species of tapeworms, including a deeper understanding of these organisms, as well as improved tools for diagnosis, vaccination and drug treatment. The need to revise the current control and management strategies for this tropical neglected disease.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Immunology, Institute for Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 México D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: Raúl J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bobes
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Immunology, Institute for Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 México D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: Gladis
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fragoso
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Genomic Medicine and Toxicology, Institute for Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 México D.F., Mexico; Peripheral Unit at the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Institute for Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 México D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: Agnès
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fleury
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Zoology, Institute of Biology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 México D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: Martín
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García-Varela
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Immunology, Institute for Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 México D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: Edda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sciutto
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Immunology, Institute for Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 México D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Larralde
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Immunology, Institute for Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 México D.F., Mexico. Electronic address: laclette@biomedicas.unam.mx.
authors.forename: Juan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Laclette
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002589:Cestoda / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D049751:Genome, Helminth; D006801:Humans; D058069:Neglected Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D013552:Swine / Q000469:parasitology; D041201:Taenia solium / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Cysticercosis; Genomic approaches; Immunological diversity; Molecular epidemiology; Taenia solium; Taeniid evolution