Supporting the development of diagnostic tools for Taenia solium infection
Improved, simple, cost-effective diagnostic tools for Taenia solium are still needed:
- A point-of-care test for the diagnosis of human cysticercosis is required, especially a test able to be used in symptomatic patients in remote areas in order to detect those with viable cysts who need to be referred for imaging and further management, including treatment with anthelmintics.
- Better tests for the diagnosis of taeniasis by T. solium are also needed. Current tests lack sensitivity and/or specificity, are not commercially available, are expensive or have not been adequately validated. High-throughput sensitive and specific tests that can be used to identify endemic areas or monitor control interventions would be very useful tools.
- Detection of porcine cysticercosis can also be extremely useful, as the prevalence of the disease is higher in pigs (reducing the required sample size) and it provides a very valuable alternative to sampling humans for confirmation of endemic areas, and for monitoring and evaluation of control programs. However, current serological tests are not sufficiently specific, and positive cases need to be confirmed by necropsy.
WHO has been facilitating the development of appropriate tools, and in December 2015, a stakeholder meeting on T. solium taeniasis/cysticercosis diagnostic tools was held at WHO headquarters to address the lack of a suitable diagnostic toolbox for taeniasis, cysticercosis and neurocysticercosis.
The WHO developed Target Product Profiles (TPPs) for the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis, taeniasis and porcine cysticercosis. TPPs are process tools that provide product requirements to guide researchers, developers and manufacturers in their efforts to develop effective diagnostics based on the needs of the different stakeholders. After drafting the different TPPs, a consultation was held with global stakeholders, and the TPPs were published in 2017.
