Veterinary Parasitology 111 (2003) 83–94 Taenia saginata derived synthetic peptides with potential for the diagnosis of bovine cysticercosis E. Ferrer a,b,1 , L. Benitez b,2 , M. Foster-Cuevas a,3 , D. Bryce c , L.W. Wamae d,4 , J.A. Onyango-Abuje d , T. Garate b , L.J.S. Harrison c,∗ , R.M.E. Parkhouse e a Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright Laboratory, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey GU24 ONF, UK b Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro Nacional de Microbiologia, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain c Department of Tropical Animal Health, Sir Alexander Robertson Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, Scotland EH25 9RG, UK d National Veterinary Research Centre, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Muguga, P.O. Box 32, Kikuyu, Kenya e Gulbenkian Institute for Science, Rua da Quinta Grande 6, P.O. Box 2781, Oeiras, Portugal Received 12 June 2002; received in revised form 23 September 2002; accepted 8 October 2002 Abstract Immunity in Taeniids is predominantly antibody mediated and thus many serological immuno- determinants will have potential in both protection and diagnosis. The antigenicity of six peptides derived from four potentially protective molecules cloned from a Taenia saginata oncospheres cDNA library have been evaluated as targets for the specific diagnosis of bovine cysticercosis. The six peptides consist of: two peptides (HP6-2 and HP6-3) derived from the sequence of the 18 kDa surface/secreted oncospheral adhesion antigen identified by McAb-HP6, two peptides (Ts45W-1 and Ts45W-5) derived from the sequence of the T. saginata homologue of the T. ovis 45W pro- tective gene family, one peptide (TS45S-10) derived from a T. saginata sequence with significant similarity to the T. ovis 45S protective antigen, and one peptide (TEG-1) derived from the sequence of the T. saginata homologue of Echinococcus spp. main surface protein. Longitudinal studies indicate that T. saginata infected cattle respond to all six peptides by 3–4 weeks post-infection and that the antibody levels remain high for at least 12 weeks post-infection. As protection against Taeniid parasites is predominantly antibody mediated, some of these six peptides may be of value as ∗ Corresponding author. Tel.: +44-131-650-6246; fax: +44-131-445-5099. E-mail address: leslie.harrison@ed.ac.uk (L.J.S. Harrison). 1 Present address: Centro Investigaciones Medicas, BIOMED, Universidad de Carabobo, Maracay, Venezuela. 2 Present address: Departamento de Microbiologia-III, Facultad de Biologia, Universidad Complutense (UCM), Madrid, Spain. 3 Present address: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK. 4 Present address: Animal Health and Production Research, KARI HQ, P.O. Box 57811, Nairobi, Kenya. 0304-4017/02/$ – see front matter © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII:S0304-4017(02)00327-8