Laboratory animal models for human Taenia solium

Human beings are the only hosts of adult Taenia solium; thus, many aspects of the host–parasite relationship are unknown. The development of successful experimental models of taeniasis allows in-depth investigations of the host–parasite relationship. We established experimental models in hamsters, gerbils and chinchillas. Here we review our findings regarding the characteristics of the tapeworms, their anchoring site and development, as well as the humoral and cellular immune response they elicit. We also used statistics to analyze the data obtained in different infections performed along several years. Furthermore, we compared the size of T. solium rostellum and strobila recovered from hamsters and gerbils to those obtained from humans. Our data indicate that these rodents are adequate experimental models for studying T. solium in its adult stage; that parasites induce immune responses and that hamsters seem to be more permissive hosts than gerbils, since parasites survive for longer times, grow longer and develop more, and the inflammatory response in the intestinal mucosa against T. solium is moderate. Finally, chinchillas are the most successful experimental definitive model for adult T. solium, since tapeworms with gravid proglottids are obtained, and the life cycle can be continued to the intermediate host.