Noninvasive assessment of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Infection with hepatitis B virus is an important healthproblem worldwide:it affects more than 350 millionpeople and is a leading cause of liver-related morbidity,accounting for 1 million deaths annually.Hepatic fibrosis is a consequence of the accumulation of extracellular matrix components in the liver.An accurate diagnosis of liver fibrosis is essential for the management of chronic liver disease.Liver biopsy has been considered the gold standard for diagnosing disease,grading necroinflammatory activity,and staging fibrosis.However,liver biopsy is unsuitable for repeated evaluations because it is invasive and can cause major complications,including death.Several noninvasive evaluations have been introduced for the assessment of liver fibrosis:serum biomarkers,combined indices or scores,and imaging techniques including transient elastography,acoustic radiation force impulse,real-time tissue elastography,and magnetic resonance elastography.Here,we review the recent progress of noninvasive assessment of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B.Most noninvasive evaluations for liver fibrosis have been validated first in patients with chronic hepatitis C,and later in those with chronic hepatitis B.The establishment of a noninvasive assessment of liver fibrosis is urgently needed to aid in the management of this leading cause of chronic liver disease.     

Is liver biopsy necessary in the management of alcoholic hepatitis?

Acute alcoholic hepatitis(AAH)is characterised by deep jaundice in patients with a history of heavy alcohol use,which can progress to liver failure.A clinical diagnosis of AAH can be challenging to make in patients without a clear alcohol history or in the presence of risk factors for other causes of acute liver failure.Other causes of acute on chronic liver failure such as sepsis or variceal haemorrhage should be considered.Liver biopsy remains the only reliable method to make an accurate diagnosis.However,there is controversy surrounding the use of liver biopsy in patients with AAH because of the risks of performing a percutaneous biopsy and limitations in access to transjugular biopsy.We review the existing literature and find there are few studies directly comparing clinical and histological diagnosis of AAH.In the small number of studies that have been conducted the correlation between a clinical and histological diagnosis of AAH is poor.Due to this lack of agreement together with difficulties in accessing transjugular liver biopsy outside tertiary referral centres and research institutions,we cannot advocate universal biopsy for AAH but there remains a definite role for liver biopsy where there is clinical diagnostic doubt or dual pathology.Italso adds value in a clinical trial context to ensure a homogeneous trial population and to further our understanding of the disease pathology.Further prospective studies are required to determine whether non-invasive markers can be used to accurately diagnose AAH.     

Adenomyoma of the small intestine

Adenomyoma of the gastrointestinal tract is a rare benign tumor-like lesion.The small intestine is the second most frequent location,usually in the periampullary area,but the lesion also occurs in the jejunum and ileum.While adenomyoma of the Vaterian system is primarily diagnosed in adults,more than half of reported cases of jejunal and ileal adenomyoma have been diagnosed in pediatric patients.Adenomyoma of the periampullary area usually presents with biliary obstruction or abdominal pain,whereas jejunal and ileal adenomyoma usually presents with intussusception or is incidentally discovered during surgery or autopsy.Since endoscopic and radiological examination yields uncharacteristic findings,histopathological evaluation is important in adenomyoma diagnosis.Pathologically,adenomyoma consists of glandular structures of various sizes and interlacing smooth muscle bundles that surround the glandular elements.The pathogenesis of adenomyoma is generally considered to be either a form of hamartoma or a pancreatic heterotopia.Although limited resection is considered the most effective treatment,pancreaticoduodenectomy is often performed when the lesion occurs in the periampullary area due to preoperative misdiagnosis as a carcinoma.It is,therefore,important that clinicians and pathologists maintain current knowledge of the disease to avoid inaccurate diagnosis,which could lead to unnecessary surgery.     

Septic shock due to Granulicatella adiacens after endoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsy of a splenic mass:A case report

BACKGROUND Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration or biopsy(EUS-FNA or FNB)has become a popular method for diagnosing various lesions of the gastrointestinal tract and surrounding tissue due to the accuracy and safety.To the best of our knowledge,no case report of severe infection after EUS-FNB of a solid lesion in the spleen has been described.Herein,we report a rare case of septic shock after EUS-FNB of a splenic mass.CASE SUMMARY A 45-year-old male patient presented to the outpatient clinic due to an incidentally detected splenic mass.A definitive diagnosis could not be established based on the abdominal magnetic resonance imaging.EUS of the spleen showed a 6 cm-sized,relatively well-demarcated,heterogeneous mass,and EUS-FNB with a 22G needle was performed.Ten days after the procedure patient developed septic shock and a splenic abscess was identified.Blood culture revealed growth of Granulicatella adiacens.After the treatment with antibiotics the patient underwent surgical resection,and the pathological examination showed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.The patient received chemotherapy and he is in complete remission.CONCLUSION Infection of a splenic mass after EUS-FNB is a rare complication and prophylactic antibiotics might be considered.     

Diagnosis and management of primary sclerosing cholangitis-perspectives from a therapeutic endoscopist

Primary sclerosing cholangitis(PSC) is a chronic,cholestatic liver condition characterized by inflammation,fibrosis,and destruction of the intra-and extrahepatic bile ducts.The therapeutic endoscopist plays a key role in the diagnosis and management of PSC.In patients presenting with a cholestatic profile,endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP) is warranted for a definite diagnosis of PSC.Dominant strictures of the bile duct occur in 36%-57% of PSC patients.Endoscopic balloon dilatation with or without stenting have been employed in the management of dominant strictures.In addition,PSC patients are at increased risk of developing cholangiocarcinoma with a 20% lifetime risk.Brush cytology obtained during ERCP and use of fluorescence in situ hybridization forms the initial diagnostic step in the investigation of patients with dominant biliary strictures.Our review aims to summarize the current evidence supporting the role of a therapeutic endoscopist in the management of PSC patients.     

Diagnosis and management of angioedema with abdominal involvement: a gastroenterology perspective

Abdominal involvement in angioedema is often a challenge to diagnose.Acute onset abdominal pain is its most common presenting symptom,and misdiagnosis may lead to unnecessary surgical intervention.Familiarity with the types and presentations of angioedema can be invaluable to clinicians as they consider the differential diagnoses of a patient presenting with abdominal pain. Detailed personal and family histories,careful physical examination of the patient,combined with knowledge of angioedema types,can help clinicians perform their diagnostic evaluation.An accurate diagnosis is essential in order to provide appropriate treatment to patients with angioedema.Depending upon the diagnosis,treatment may be the avoidance of provoking factors(such as allergens or medications),inhibiting histamine-provoked reactions,or treating C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency.     

Association between Helicobacter spp.infections and hepatobiliary malignancies:A review

Hepatobiliary cancers are highly lethal cancers that comprise a spectrum of invasive carcinomas originating in the liver hepatocellular carcinoma,the bile ducts intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and extrahepaticcholangiocarcinoma,the gallbladder and the ampulla of Vater(collectively known as biliary tract cancers).These tumors account for approximately 13% of all annual cancer-related deaths worldwide and for 10%-20% of deaths from hepatobiliary malignancies.Cholangiocarcinoma(CCA) is a devastating disease that displays a poor survival rate for which few therapeutic options are available.Population genetics,geographical and environmental factors,cholelithiasis,obesity,parity,and endemic infection with liver flukes have been identified as risk factors that influence the development of biliary tract tumors.Other important factors affecting the carcinogenesis of these tumors include chronic inflammation,obstruction of the bile ducts,and impaired bile flow.It has been suggested that CCA is caused by infection with Helicobacter species,such as Helicobacter bilis and Helicobacter hepaticus,in a manner that is similar to the reported role of Helicobacter pylori in distal gastric cancer.Due to the difficulty in culturing these Helicobacter species,molecular methods,such as polymerase chain reaction and sequencing,or immunologic assays have become the methods of choice for diagnosis.However,clinical studies of benign or malignant biliary tract diseases revealed remarkable variability in the methods and the findings,and the use of uniform and validated techniques is needed.     

Imaging diagnosis of pancreatic cancer:A state-of-the-art review

Pancreatic cancer(PC)remains one of the deadliest cancers worldwide,and has a poor,five-year survival rate of 5%.Although complete surgical resection is the only curative therapy for pancreatic cancer,less than20%of newly-diagnosed patients undergo surgical resection with a curative intent.Due to the lack of early symptoms and the tendency of pancreatic adenocarcinoma to invade adjacent structures or to metastasize at an early stage,many patients with pancreatic cancer already have advanced disease at the time of their diagnosis and,therefore,there is a high mortality rate.To improve the patient survival rate,early detection of PC is critical.The diagnosis of PC relies on computed tomography(CT)and/or magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography(MRCP),or biopsy or fine-needle aspiration using endoscopic ultrasound(EUS).Although multi-detector row computed tomography currently has a major role in the evaluation of PC,MRI with MRCP facilitates better detection of tumors at an early stage by allowing a comprehensive analysis of the morphological changes of the pancreas parenchyma and pancreatic duct.The diagnosis could be improved using positron emission tomography techniques in special conditions in which CT and EUS are not completely diagnostic.It is essential for clinicians to understand the advantages and disadvantages of the various pancreatic imaging modalities in order to be able to make optimal treatment and management decisions.Our study investigates the current role and innovative techniques of pancreatic imaging focused on the detection of pancreatic cancer.     

Autoimmune pancreatitis: Multimodality non-invasive imaging diagnosis

Autoimmune pancreatitis(AIP)is characterized by obstructive jaundice,a dramatic clinical response to steroids and pathologically by a lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate,with or without a pancreatic mass.Type 1AIP is the pancreatic manifestation of an Ig G4-related systemic disease and is characterized by elevated Ig G4serum levels,infiltration of Ig G4-positive plasma cells and extrapancreatic lesions.Type 2 AIP usually has none or very few Ig G4-positive plasma cells,no serum Ig G4 elevation and appears to be a pancreas-specific disorder without extrapancreatic involvement.AIP is diagnosed in approximately 2%-6%of patients that undergo pancreatic resection for suspected pancreatic cancer.There are three patterns of autoimmune pancreatitis:diffuse disease is the most common type,with a diffuse,“sausage-like”pancreatic enlargement with sharp margins and loss of the lobular contours;focal disease is less common and manifests as a focal mass,often within the pancreatic head,mimicking a pancreatic malignancy.Multifocal involvement can also occur.In this paper we describe the features of AIP at ultrasonography,computed tomography,magnetic resonanceand positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging,focusing on diagnosis and differential diagnosis with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.It is of utmost importance to make an early correct differential diagnosis between these two diseases in order to identify the optimal therapeutic strategy and to avoid unnecessary laparotomy or pancreatic resection in AIP patients.Non-invasive imaging plays also an important role in therapy monitoring,in follow-up and in early identification of disease recurrence.     

Intestinal endometriosis-A rare cause of colonic perforation

Endometriosis is the ectopic growth of viable endometrium outside the uterus, affecting approximately 7% of females. It commonly affects pelvic structures including the bowel. Perforation of the colon by endometriosis is very rare and the patients generally present with an asymptomatic or painful pelvic mass, often in the left iliac fossa. Our patient presented acutely unwell and her symptoms were more suggestive of pyelonephritis or diverticulitis. We therefore report an unusual cause of acute abdomen. The purpose of the following case report is to elucidate certain diagnostic and therapeutic problems of the disease, concerning both surgeons and gynaecologists. In summary, intestinal endometriosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all post-menarche women with episodic gastrointestinal symptoms. A past history of endometriosis or co-existent gynaecological symptoms should increase the index of suspicion, and taparoscopy prior to formal laparotomy should be considered. Our patient, in retrospect, had a history of mild endometriosis, but we feel that this case serves as a reminder of a rare, but important, differential diagnosis of acute abdomen in females.     

Intestinal cestodes

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review summarizes the biology, clinical aspects, diagnosis, treatment and epidemiology for the common and rarer (zoonotic) intestinal cestodes of humans. RECENT FINDINGS: Mass drug application to eliminate Taenia solium carriers may have only temporary effects on cysticercosis transmission. At least two major world genotypes of T. solium have been identified and greater genetic heterogeneity may occur at the regional level. A new human taeniid T. asiatica has been confirmed which occurs sympatrically with T. saginata and T. solium in Southeast Asia. Coproantigen and PCR tests for Taenia spp. have greatly improved diagnostic efficacy and epidemiological studies. There appears to be an increase in human diphyllobothriasis in Europe, Japan and the Americas. SUMMARY: Human intestinal cestode infections are globally primarily caused by species in three genera: Taenia, Hymenolepis or Diphyllobothrium. Sporadic zoonotic infections caused by nontaeniids are usually food-borne or due to accidental ingestion of invertebrate hosts. Intestinal cestode infections generally result in only mild symptoms characterized chiefly by abdominal discomfort and diarrhoea. Most human intestinal cestode infections can be treated with a single oral dose of praziquantel or niclosamide.     

分子生物学技术在带绦虫分类中的应用

传统的带绦虫分类是根据成虫和囊尾蚴的形态特征,有一定的局限性,尤其是对形态相近的虫种鉴别困难.近年来发展的分子生物学技术从基因水平检测带绦虫种间或种内个体间的遗传差异,若将两者有机结合,虫种鉴别将更加全面和客观.该文综述了PCR-限制性片段长度多态性技术(polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism,PCR-RFLP)、随机扩增多态性DNA(randomly amplified polymorphic DNA,RAPD)、DNA序列分析等分子生物学技术在带绦虫分类研究中的应用.     

Helminth antigens (Taenia solium, Taenia crassiceps, Toxocara canis, Schistosoma mansoni and Echinococcus granulosus) and cross-reactivities in human infections and immunized animals

Helminth antigens were investigated in the search for accessible heterologous antigens capable to discriminate different helminthiases, by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the immunoblot assay (IB). Antigens used were: Taenia solium cysticercus total saline (Tso); Taenia crassiceps cysticercus vesicular fluid (Tcra-VF); T. crassiceps cysticercus glycoproteins (Tcra-GP and Tcra-(18-14)-GP); Toxocara canis larva excretory-secretory (TES); Schistosoma mansoni adult total saline (Sm) and Echinococcus granulosus hydatid fluid (Eg). The assayed sera were from patients with: cysticercosis (n = 18); toxocariasis (n = 40); schistosomiasis (n = 19) and hydatidosis (n = 50) with proven clinical and laboratory diagnosis, and sera from rabbits immunized with Tso, Tcra-VF, TES and Eg. Cross-reactivity occurred mostly between infections caused by Taenia and Echinococcus or in immunized rabbits, by ELISA. Moreover, the cross-reactivity among helminthiases was found with the use of antigens belonging to phylogenetically related parasite species, Eg, Tso and Tcra-VF, by sharing same antigenic components. Lower cross-reactivities were obtained by IB technique, when only peptides were considered as antigens, and the use of T. crassiceps purified glycoproteins demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of human cysticercosis, similarly to that using homologous antigen (Tso) by the same technique.     

Immunodiagnostic tools for taeniasis

Most diagnostic work conducted on the Taenia species zoonoses has been carried out on the larval stage of Taenia solium in man, reflecting the relative severity of the pathology caused by this stage of that organism. This review will, however, concentrate on the immunodiagnosis of the adult intestinal stages of these parasites in humans. Diagnosis of T. solium will be examined in most detail because of the relative importance of this parasite but relevant work from other cestodes of man and animals will also be discussed. In addition both classical and molecular approaches to diagnosis will be briefly covered. There have been a number of advances in immunodiagnosis of taeniasis over recent years that have improved both diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Techniques for the detection of Taenia specific coproantigens in human taeniasis infections have been shown to more than double the numbers of T. solium cases accurately diagnosed in epidemiological studies. More recently, work on the serological diagnosis of T. solium have led to the development of a sensitive and specific enzyme linked immuno-transfer blot for the detection of species and stage specific circulating antibodies to adult worm excretory-secretory antigens. Work is ongoing to further improve these assays.     

Detection of IgG in cerebrospinal fluid for diagnosis of neurocysticercosis: evaluation of saline and SDS extracts from Taenia solium and Taenia crassiceps metacestodes by ELISA and immunoblot assay

We compared saline (S) and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) extracts from Taenia solium (homologous species - HO) and Taenia crassiceps (heterologous species - HE) metacestodes in order to detect IgG by ELISA and immunoblot assay (IBA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for the diagnosis of human neurocysticercosis (NC). CSF samples were obtained from 93 patients. Of these, 40 had NC, five had a diagnosis of probable NC, nine had central nervous system schistosomiasis or strongyloidiasis and 39 had other neurological alterations. Samples were analysed by ELISA and the results were compared with IBA in all samples with confirmed and probable NC diagnosis, in all samples with other central nervous system parasitic infection, and in 10 of those with another neurological alterations. ELISA sensitivity was 100%, 85%, 95% and 87.5% for the S-HO, S-HE, SDS-HO and SDS-HE extracts, respectively, and ELISA specificity was 100% for S-HO, S-HE, SDS-HO extracts and 97.9% for SDS-HE antigen. Immunodominant peptides detected by IBA were, by decreasing percentage of recognition: 64-68 and 45 kDa for S-HO; 108-114, 92-95, 64-68, 83 and 88 kDa for S-HE; 64-68, 108-114, 77 and 86 kDa for SDS-HO; and 108-114, 88 and 92-95 kDa for SDS-HE. Overall the homologous antigenic extracts showed higher sensitivity than the heterologous extracts in the diagnosis of NC in CSF samples. The heterologous extracts contained most of the immunodominant peptides presented in the homologous extracts, which are recognized by IgG antibodies in CSF samples.     

福建省食源性寄生虫病的现状与流行特征的文献分析

目的 通过文献分析,了解近20年来福建省食源性寄生虫病的现状与流行特征. 方法 采用数据挖掘技术,以中国知网（CNKI）数据平台的科学引文索引扩展版数据库为数据源,检索1989-2010年福建省食性寄生虫病研究领域的学术论文（论著或综述或病例报道）,根据文献资料,对诊断病例或调查病种按论文发表时间、刊物类型、发病或调查地点、感染发病因素等进行分类排序,采用Microsoft Excel建立数据库,根据病种的危害程度进行综合分析. 结果 共检索到论文93篇,其中病例报道79篇,专项调查报道14篇.各种类食源性寄生虫病例1 187例,涉及食源性寄生虫种类11种,其中列前5位的寄生虫种依次为并殖吸虫（肺吸虫,147例）、猪带绦虫及囊尾蚴（492例）、曼氏迭宫绦虫及裂头蚴（57例）、广州管圆线虫（38例）及华支睾吸虫（肝吸虫,120例）,合计854例,占总病例数的71.95％.前10年（1989-1999）报道的食源性寄生虫为7种,病例数为549例,占46.25％;后10年（2000-2010）报道的食源性寄生虫11种,病例数为638例,占53.75％.男性784例,占总病例数的66.05％,女性403例,占33.95％;＜20岁组298例,占总病例数的25.12％;20～40岁组635例,占53.49％;40岁以上组254例,占21.39％.感染因素为生食或半生食相关食物. 结论 福建省食源性寄生虫病种类多,分布广.病例呈连续性,散在性和动态变化趋势.感染与食入未经熟透的相关食物有关.     

分子生物学技术在带绦虫鉴别中的应用

传统的带绦虫鉴别方法是根据成虫和其囊尾蚴的形态特征,但对于形态学特征相似的虫种鉴别较为困难。分子生物学技术提供了一种从分子水平来鉴别带绦虫的方法,使虫种鉴定结果更为客观。本文综述了DNA序列分析、PCR限制性片段长度多态性技术和环介导等温扩增技术在带绦虫虫种鉴别中的应用。     

Experimental studies of Korea Taenia (Cheju strain) infection in domestic animals

In the present study, one DYL pig (five-day old), four L-SEM pigs (37-day old), three SEM pigs (44-day old), one Holstein calf (eight-day old) and two Sannean goats (five-day old) were each fed 1000, 30,000, or 380,000 eggs of the Korea Taenia (Cheju strain) and were sacrificed 16-105 days after inoculation. All DYL, L-SEM, and SEM pigs and the Holstein calf were susceptible to Korea Taenia, and one of the two Sannean goats became infected. The cysticerci recovery rates for L-SEM, SEM and DYL pigs, Holstein calf, and Sannean goat were 5.6, 1.7, 0.06, 0.03 and 0.02% respectively. Cysticerci were recovered only from the livers of the infected animals, and more cysticerci were found in the parenchyma (51%) than on the surface of the liver (49%). Immature cysticerci were first observed on day 16 after infection, mature ones on day 29, and degenerated or calcified cysticerci on day 30. Inoculation of a huge number (380,000) of Korea Taenia eggs lead to early degeneration or calcification of the cysticerci. The length, the width, and the diameters of protoscolex, rostellum, and sucker of the cysticerci were largely proportional to the period of inoculation. The measurements and patterns of the hooklets indicate that Korea Taenia is very similar to Taiwan Taenia but is different from T. saginata and T. solium. The results of the present study provide evidence that Korea Taenia and Taiwan Taenia may be of the same species.     

广西4地带绦虫分离株COX1序列分析

目的 分析广西4地带绦虫分离株COX1序列, 了解亚洲绦虫在广西的分布。方法 对鹿寨、 融水、 田东、 三江等 4县现症病人进行驱虫, 收集绦虫成虫。绦虫成虫经反复洗涤后, 各取孕节一节, 研碎后提取基因组DNA; 同时设计特异性引物, PCR扩增各分离株COX1片段, 对扩增产物进行T?A克隆测序; 应用相关软件分析序列的同源性、 遗传距离, 同时构建系统发生树。同时, 从GenBank检索亚洲绦虫、 猪带绦虫和牛带绦虫COX1基因序列, 并与4地分离株基因序列进行比较。结果 广西4地5个带绦虫分离株的COX1碱基序列长度均为444 bp。鹿寨株与亚洲绦虫之间基因差异为5个位点（1.11%）, 同源性为98.87%, 遗传距离为0.011, 其在邻接法和简约法构建的系统发生树中位于同一分枝。融水A株与猪带绦虫同源性达100%, B株与牛带绦虫和亚洲绦虫的同源性分别达98.20%和96.17%; 田东和三江分离株与猪带绦虫的同源性分别为99.55%和96.40%, 遗传距离分别为0.005和0.037; 鹿寨株与牛带绦虫的同源性达96.40%。结论 广西鹿寨县存在亚洲绦虫流行, 融水县存在牛带绦虫和猪带绦虫混合流行。     

Pig as a favorable animal for Taenia saginata asiatica infection

The epidemiology of Taenia saginata in some parts of Asia is confusing, in that beef does not appear to be the source of infection. In some areas, beef is either not available or not eaten raw, whereas pork at times is eaten uncooked. In light of this situation, we have exposed pigs and other animals to infection with strains of T. saginata to establish their ability to serve as intermediate hosts. Eggs of Taiwan Taenia, Korea Taenia, Indonesia Taenia, Thailand Taenia, Philippines Taenia, Ethiopia Taenia, and Madagascar Taenia were fed to 83 pigs of three strains: 43 Small-Ear Miniature (SEM), 34 Landrace Small-Ear Miniature (L-SEM), and 6 Duroc-Yorkshire-Landrace (DYL). We also fed the eggs to 10 Holstein calves, 17 Sannean goats, and 4 monkeys (Macaca cyclopis). We succeeded in infecting SEM (infection rate 88%, cysticercus recovery rate 19.1%), L-SEM (83%, 1.1%), and DYL (100%, 0.3%) pigs with Taiwan Taenia; SEM (100%, 1.7%), L-SEM (100%, 5.6%), and DYL (100%, 0.06%) pigs with Korea Taenia; SEM (100%, 22%) and L-SEM (100%, 1.6%) pigs with Indonesia Taenia; SEM (75%, 0.06%) pigs with Thailand Taenia SEM (100%, 11%) pigs with Philippines Taenia; SEM (80%, 0.005%) pigs with Ethiopia Taenia; SEM (100%, 0.2%) pigs with Madagascar Taenia. Holstein calves became infected with Taenia from Taiwan (100%, 1.1%), Korea (100%, 0.03%), Thailand (100%, 0.2%), and the Philippines (100%, 6%); however, the cysticerci of Taenia from Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines were degenerated and/or calcified. Sannean goats became infected with Taenia from Taiwan (33%, 0.01%) and Korea (50%, 0.02%), while monkeys became infected with Taenia from Taiwan (50%, 0.01%). However, the cysticerci were degenerated and/ or calcified. Therefore, these strains of pig seem to be favorable animal models for experimental studies of T. saginata-like tapeworms, with the SEM pig the most favorable.