Advances in parasitism by larval cestodes.

A round table of international scientists was held to discuss status of research on parasitism and diseases caused by larval cestode infections. The principal species discussed included Echinococcus granulosus and E. multilocularis, etiological agents of the cystic and alveolar forms of hydatid disease, respectively, and Taenia solium, the cause of cysticercosis. Recent advances in research include new experimental models, methods of in vitro culture, methods of immunodiagnosis, a vaccine, and new approaches to epidemiological investigation and control. Considerable progress has been achieved in the development of chemotherapy for larval cestode diseases, however, many questions and issues related to indications for and evaluation of treatment remain unresolved. Application of modern biotechnology in these diseases have produced many new diagnostic, therapeutic and prevention tools and a major current challenge is to make these available for clinical and field application, including control programs. The use of different methods--from the classical morphological one to the recently DNA based technologies--for differentiation of new strains, and most importantly, the use of these modern molecular methods for comparing antigens with potential vaccinating abilities against the different strain/species, was highlighted during this round table.