Differential diagnosis of Taenia saginata and Taenia saginata asiatica taeniasis through PCR.

New multiplex-PCR and PCR-linked restriction fragment length polymorphism protocols, derived from Taenia saginata HDP2 DNA sequence, have been designed that allow the simultaneous and specific identification of T. saginata and Taenia saginata asiatica. Proglottids expelled from 20 different Spanish taeniasis patients, previously diagnosed as T. saginata by both morphological identification and multiplex HDP2-PCR, were also examined by the newly developed PCR protocols, and the original diagnosis of T. saginata infection was confirmed. All of the 20 T. saginata samples were negative in the T. saginata asiatica-specific PCR. Three authentic T. saginata asiatica samples were unambiguously identified as such in the T. saginata asiatica PCR. These new protocols have immediate potential for the specific, sensitive, and rapid identification of T. saginata asiatica and may assist in taxonomic studies.