Using the model cestode Taenia crassiceps for the study of cysticercosis

Taenia solium is the aetiological agent of taeniasis/cysticercosis, one of the most severe neglected tropical diseases (NTD) according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The life cycle of T. solium alternates between pigs (intermediate host) and humans (definitive host). In addition, humans can act as accidental intermediate hosts if they ingest infective eggs. In this case, the most severe condition of the disease occurs when parasites invade the central nervous system, causing neurocysticercosis (NCC). The complexity of the life cycle of T. solium imposes a barrier to study this pathogen thoroughly. Thus, related species, such as T. crassiceps are commonly used. Due to its capacity to multiply asexually, T. crassiceps can be maintained by serial passage in laboratory mice in standard biosecurity level facilities. In addition, an in vitro system to generate cysticerci in the presence of feeder cells has been recently developed. Despite model species display biological differences with their zoonotic counterparts, they have historically helped to understand the biology of the related pathogenic species and hence, generate improvements in NTD detection and control. In this chapter, we describe the procedures to carry out both in vivo and in vitro systems for T. crassiceps in the laboratory.