Taenia hydatigena EN CERDO PROCEDENTE DE UNA ZONA RURAL DEL ESTADO YARACUY, VENEZUELA.

The metacestode stage of Taenia hydatigena has been described in wild and domestic ruminants, swine and equines. This larval cestode infection has economical importance due to its high pathogenicity in animals bred for human consumption. The socioeconomic impact of this infection is unknown in Venezuela. We report in this note the finding of a cyst structure, typical of the metacestode of T. hydatigena in a rural pig from Yaracuy state of Venezuela. The cyst was approximately 2.5 cm x 1.0 cm, with an interior scolex and a transparent cyst fluid. The serum of this animal was positive for the detection by ELISA of the specific antigen HP10 of Taenia sp. Further studies are needed to determine the endemicity of T. hydatigena in pigs and in other animal species in Venezuela as the high serological cross reaction between T. hydatigena and T solium, could cause confusion in the diagnosis of the considerably more economically important T. solium porcine cysticercosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]