title: Inflammation Caused by Praziquantel Treatment Depends on the Location of the Taenia solium Cysticercus in Porcine Neurocysticercosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neurocysticercosis (NCC), infection of the central nervous system by Taenia solium cysticerci, is a pleomorphic disease. Inflammation around cysticerci is the major cause of disease but is variably present. One factor modulating the inflammatory responses may be the location and characteristics of the brain tissue adjacent to cysticerci. We analyzed and compared the inflammatory responses to cysticerci located in the parenchyma to those in the meninges or cysticerci partially in contact with both the parenchyma and the meninges (corticomeningeal).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histological specimens of brain cysticerci (n = 196) from 11 pigs naturally infected with Taenia solium cysticerci were used. Four pigs were sacrificed after 2 days and four after 5 days of a single dose of praziquantel; 3 pigs did not receive treatment. All pigs were intravenously injected with Evans Blue to assess disruption of the blood-brain barrier. The degree of inflammation was estimated by use of a histological score (ISC) based on the extent of the inflammation in the pericystic areas as assessed in an image composed of several photomicrographs taken at 40X amplification. Parenchymal cysticerci provoked a significantly greater level of pericystic inflammation (higher ISC) after antiparasitic treatment compared to meningeal and corticomeningeal cysticerci. ISC of meningeal cysticerci was not significantly affected by treatment. In corticomeningeal cysticerci, the increase in ISC score was correlated to the extent of the cysticercus adjacent to the brain parenchyma. Disruption of the blood-brain barrier was associated with treatment only in parenchymal tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inflammatory response to cysticerci located in the meninges was significantly decreased compared to parenchymal cysticerci. The suboptimal inflammatory response to cysticidal drugs may be the reason subarachnoid NCC is generally refractory to treatment compared to parenchymal NCC.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunopatología en Neurocisticercosis, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cangalaya
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Bioinformática y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú|Departamento de Ciencias Celulares y Moleculares, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
authors.forename: Mirko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimic
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunopatología en Neurocisticercosis, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marzal
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
authors.forename: Armando E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: González
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunopatología en Neurocisticercosis, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú|Departamento de Ciencias Celulares y Moleculares, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guerra-Giraldez
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunopatología en Neurocisticercosis, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú|Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Siddhartha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mahanty
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunopatología en Neurocisticercosis, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú|Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Theodore E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Nash
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Celulares y Moleculares, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú|Unidad de Cisticercosis, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Neurológicas, Lima, Perú
authors.forename: Hector H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: García
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology*; D008578:Meninges / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D011223:Praziquantel