title: Novel rat model for neurocysticercosis using Taenia solium.
abstract: Neurocysticercosis is caused by Taenia solium infecting the central nervous system and is the leading cause of acquired epilepsy and convulsive conditions worldwide. Research into the pathophysiology of the disease and appropriate treatment is hindered by lack of cost-effective and physiologically similar animal models. We generated a novel rat neurocysticercosis model using intracranial infection with activated T. solium oncospheres. Holtzman rats were infected in two separate groups: the first group was inoculated extraparenchymally and the second intraparenchymally, with different doses of activated oncospheres. The groups were evaluated at three different ages. Histologic examination of the tissue surrounding T. solium cysticerci was performed. Results indicate that generally infected rats developed cysticerci in the brain tissue after 4 months, and the cysticerci were observed in the parenchymal, ventricle, or submeningeal brain tissue. The route of infection did not have a statistically significant effect on the proportion of rats that developed cysticerci, and there was no dependence on infection dose. However, rat age was crucial to the success of the infection. Epilepsy was observed in 9% of rats with neurocysticercosis. In histologic examination, a layer of collagen tissue, inflammatory infiltrate cells, perivascular infiltrate, angiogenesis, spongy change, and mass effect were observed in the tissue surrounding the cysts. This study presents a suitable animal model for the study of human neurocysticercosis.
authors.affiliation: Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru, Lima, Peru; Infectious Diseases Laboratory Research-LID, Faculty of Science and Philosophy, Alberto Cazorla Talleri, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru. Electronic address: manuela.verastegui@upch.pe.
authors.forename: Manuela R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Verastegui
authors.affiliation: Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru, Lima, Peru; Infectious Diseases Laboratory Research-LID, Faculty of Science and Philosophy, Alberto Cazorla Talleri, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mejia
authors.affiliation: Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru, Lima, Peru; Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Taryn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru, Lima, Peru; Public Health Section, School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Cesar M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gavidia
authors.affiliation: Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru, Lima, Peru; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mamani
authors.affiliation: Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru, Lima, Peru; Infectious Diseases Laboratory Research-LID, Faculty of Science and Philosophy, Alberto Cazorla Talleri, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Fredy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ccopa
authors.affiliation: Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru, Lima, Peru; Infectious Diseases Laboratory Research-LID, Faculty of Science and Philosophy, Alberto Cazorla Talleri, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Noelia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Angulo
authors.affiliation: Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru, Lima, Peru; Infectious Diseases Laboratory Research-LID, Faculty of Science and Philosophy, Alberto Cazorla Talleri, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chile
authors.affiliation: Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru, Lima, Peru; Infectious Diseases Laboratory Research-LID, Faculty of Science and Philosophy, Alberto Cazorla Talleri, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Rogger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carmen
authors.affiliation: Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru, Lima, Peru; Department of Biology Science, Universidad Nacional del Altiplano, Puno, Peru.
authors.forename: Roxana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Medina
authors.affiliation: Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru, Lima, Peru; Infectious Diseases Laboratory Research-LID, Faculty of Science and Philosophy, Alberto Cazorla Talleri, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Cysticercosis Unit, Instituto de Ciencias Neurologicas, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Hector H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru, Lima, Peru; Cysticercosis Unit, Instituto de Ciencias Neurologicas, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru, Lima, Peru; Department of Food Science & Technology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.
authors.forename: Ynes
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.affiliation: Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru, Lima, Peru; Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Hygiene and Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Asociación Benéfica PRISMA, San Miguel, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Gilman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D041201:Taenia solium