Control of taenia solium and taenia saginata cysticercosis through specific diagnosis; systematic epidemiology and development of recombinant vaccine candidates

Objective

The main objectives are as follows:
To provide suitable sensitive and specific diagnostic tools in order to assess control of human, porcine and bovine cysticercosis via diagnosis and drug treatment in selected ecological zones. Of particular importance will be the detection of neurocysticercosis in man.
Selected recombinant antigens will be assayed as potential vaccine candidates.
Expected Outcome

Taenia saginata and Taenia solium are responsible for public health problems in addition to creating financial losses to cattle and pig producers in endemic areas. This project is directed towards the improvement of the available methods for control through improved diagnosis and immunoprophylaxis. The project is a second phase to a two year INCO-DC STD-3 project, it will further develop and apply the technology and reagents developed in Phase 1 and those developed in this project to epidemiological and vaccination trials in a range of endemic countries and introduce work on the closely related T. saginata. It is possible to work on both species since they are so closely related that they contain many cross-reactive determinants and can be regarded as reciprocal models.
* To transfer established diagnostic procedures from Europe to participating developing countries.
* To apply existing diagnostic tools to epidemiological monitoring and where appropriate control studies in participating developing countries.
* To clone, express and evaluate potentially diagnostic and protective antigens from oncospheres and immature metacestodes.
* To establish panels of defined sera for primary screening and evaluation of potentially useful recombinant antigens, both diagnostic and protective.
* To develop recombinant parasite antigen based detection assays.
* To carry out vaccine trials in pigs and cattle using potentially protective recombinant antigens.

Programme(s)

• FP4-INCO - Specific research, technological development and demonstration programme in the field of cooperation with third countries and international organizations, 1994-1998

Topic(s)

• 03010205 - Animal production

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH

Address

Easter Bush Sir Alexander Robertson Building
EH25 9RG Roslin
United Kingdom

Participants (6)

INSTITUTE FOR ANIMAL HEALTH

United Kingdom

Address

Ash Road, Nr Woking
GU24 0NF Woking

Instituto de Salud 'Carlos III'

Spain

Address

Km 2,Carretera Pozuelo Km 2
28220 Madrid

Kenya Agricultural Research Institute

Kenya

Address

Muguga
124 Kikuyu

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Mexico

Address

4510 México, D.f.

Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia

Peru

Address

430,Av. Honorio Delgado 430
5045 San Martin De Porras - Lima

Universidad de Carabobo

Venezuela

Address

2351,Final Av. Ruiz Pineda 2351
Maracay