[Antigenic affinity of cestodes in the genus Taenia]

Antigens of four species of the genus Taenia (T. ovis ovis, T. ovis krabbei, T. hydatigena and T. parenchimatosa) were studied by means of immunodiffusion reaction in agar gel with the use of hyperimmune sera. It has been established that extracts of the studied cestodes contain a great number of antigens, which during parenteral administration cause a synthesis of antibodies in rabbits. In homologous systems the number of recorded antigen-antibody complexes varied from 5 to 10. The most close antigenic affinity was found between T. ovis ovis and T. ovis krabbei, T. ovis ovis and T. hydatigena, as far as the main mass of precipitation bands in the immunodiffusion reaction fused together that suggests the identity of corresponding antigenic components. In all cases when analysing antiserum to T. parenchimatosa extract no differences of species-specific character in heterologous systems were traced.