Kuwait is non-endemic for Taenia solium infection, however, several cases of cysticercosis were detected among Kuwaiti nationals with no history of travel to endemic countries. Infected domestic helpers/food handlers from endemic countries who may have escaped detection of their infection by microscopy at the time of their arrival into Kuwait were suspected as the possible source of infection. This study determined the seroprevalence for T. solium among domestic helpers/food handlers by screening of their blood specimen using a sensitive taeniasis-specific rES33 antigen assay.,Newly-arriving domestic helpers (n=500) and food handlers (n=500) from endemic countries were enrolled and their socio-demographic infor... More
Kuwait is non-endemic for Taenia solium infection, however, several cases of cysticercosis were detected among Kuwaiti nationals with no history of travel to endemic countries. Infected domestic helpers/food handlers from endemic countries who may have escaped detection of their infection by microscopy at the time of their arrival into Kuwait were suspected as the possible source of infection. This study determined the seroprevalence for T. solium among domestic helpers/food handlers by screening of their blood specimen using a sensitive taeniasis-specific rES33 antigen assay.,Newly-arriving domestic helpers (n=500) and food handlers (n=500) from endemic countries were enrolled and their socio-demographic information was collected during 2015-2017. T. solium-specific rES33 antigen was expressed and purified from human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293-6E cells using pTT5 mammalian expression vector. Stool samples were processed for microscopy and blood samples were screened to detect anti-T. solium taeniasis-specific IgG antibodies by ELISA.,All stool samples were negative for Taenia parasite eggs by microscopy. However, 42 (4.2%) individuals tested positive for T. solium taeniasis-specific IgG antibodies. Though statistically not significant, the IgG seropositivity was higher among individuals with lower education levels, poor/low-income background and higher frequency of hand washing.,This is the first report from Kuwait and the Middle East on detecting anti-T. solium taeniasis-specific IgG antibodies in the blood among high-risk expatriate population. The results emphasize the importance of efficient and sensitive screening of T. solium carriers and, thus prevention of infection transmission and development of cysticercosis in the local population.,© 2019 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.
