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Review
. 2003 Jan;16(1):18-36.
doi: 10.1128/CMR.16.1.18-36.2003.

Concepts in immunology and diagnosis of hydatid disease

Wenbao Zhang  1 , Jun Li, Donald P McManus
Affiliations
Review

Concepts in immunology and diagnosis of hydatid disease

Wenbao Zhang et al. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2003 Jan.

Abstract

Echinococcosis is a cosmopolitan zoonosis caused by adult or larval stages of cestodes belonging to the genus Echinococcus (family Taeniidae). The two major species of medical and public health importance are Echinococcus granulosus and E. multilocularis, which cause cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echinococcosis (AE), respectively. Both CE and AE are both serious diseases, the latter especially so, with a high fatality rate and poor prognosis if managed inappropriately. This review discusses new concepts and approaches in the immunology and diagnosis of CE, but comparative reference has also been made to AE infection and to earlier pivotal studies of both diseases. The review considers immunity to infection in the intermediate and definitive hosts, innate resistance, evasion of the immune system, and vaccination of intermediate and definitive hosts, and it particularly emphasizes procedures for diagnosis of CE and AE, including the value of immunodiagnostic approaches. There is also discussion of the new advances in recombinant and related DNA technologies, especially application of PCR, that are providing powerful tools in the fields of vaccinology and molecular diagnosis of echinococcosis.

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Figures

FIG. 1.
FIG. 1.
Life cycle of E. granulosus. Echinococcus spp. require two mammalian hosts for completion of their life cycle. Segments containing eggs (gravid proglotitids) or free eggs are passed in the feces of the definitive host, a carnivore. The eggs are ingested by an intermediate host, in which the metacestode stage and protoscoleces develop. The cycle is completed if the metacestode and protoscoleces are eaten by a suitable carnivore.
FIG. 2.
FIG. 2.
Clinical images of CE and AE. (A) CT scan of a brain with CE. (B) CT scan of a liver with CE. (C) Sonogram of a liver with CE. (D) CT scan of a liver with both AE and CE (note the presence of daughter cysts). (E) CT scan of a liver with AE. (F) Sonogram image of a liver with AE. Cysts (CE) or cyst masses (AE) are arrowed.
FIG. 3.
FIG. 3.
Cystic hydatid disease in the livers of various intermediate hosts. (A) sheep; (B) cow; (C) camel; (D) yak.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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