Serodiagnosis of neurocysticercosis using synthetic 8-kD proteins: comparison of assay formats.

The assay of choice for serological detection of cysticercosis in humans and pigs is the enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB), a Western blot assay that relies on the use of seven lentil-lectin-purified glycoproteins (LLGPs) derived from Taenia solium metacestodes. The EITB is has a sensitivity of 98% and a specificity of 100% in detecting cysticercosis, yet scarcity of native source material and the labor-intensive process of metacestode purification hinder its practicality. These limitations have necessitated the reproduction of the EITB antigens in synthetic forms. Four chemically synthesized LLGP antigens, TS14, TS18var1, TSRS1, and TSRS2var1, were assayed individually by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot for immunoreactivity against a large cohort of sera from clinically defined neurocysticercosis patients. The sensitivity and specificity of all four of these antigens using the ELISA format were well below the standards set by the LLGP EITB, whereas results of the Western blot format closely mirrored those of the LLGP EITB.