Trichinosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the ingestion of raw or undercooked meat containing the larvae of the parasitic roundworms from the genus Trichinella. At our company, we specialize in advancing the preclinical research and development of vaccines and therapeutics for trichinosis.
Overview of Trichinosis
Trichinosis, commonly referred to as trichinellosis, is a parasitic illness primarily caused by consuming undercooked or raw meat harboring the larvae of the Trichinella species, notably Trichinella spiralis. This zoonotic disease carries significant public health implications, particularly in regions where pork consumption is widespread. The life cycle of T. spiralis commences with humans ingesting the encysted larvae, which then develop into adult worms within the intestines. Following reproduction, the females release newborn larvae that migrate to various tissues, predominantly skeletal muscle, where they encapsulate and can persist for years.
Fig.1 Factors influencing the effectiveness of Trichinella spiralis vaccines in animal models. (Tang B., et al., 2020)
Vaccine Development for Trichinosis
- Live Attenuated Vaccines
Live attenuated vaccines represent one of the earliest strategies for vaccine development against Trichinella infections. These vaccines are created by attenuating the pathogenicity of T. spiralis while preserving its immunogenic properties
- Natural Antigen Vaccines
Natural antigen vaccines are derived from crude extracts of T. spiralis or specific antigens isolated from different life stages of the parasite. Research has shown that these vaccines can induce significant protective immunity.
- Recombinant Protein Vaccines
Recombinant protein vaccines have gained traction in recent years due to advancements in genetic engineering. These vaccines utilize specific proteins derived from T. spiralis to stimulate immune responses.
- DNA Vaccines
DNA vaccines represent a novel and promising strategy in the fight against trichinosis. By introducing plasmid DNA encoding T. spiralis antigens into the host, these vaccines can induce strong cellular and humoral immune responses.
- Synthetic Peptide Vaccines
Synthetic peptide vaccines are composed of short peptides that represent specific epitopes of T. spiralis antigens. These vaccines can stimulate immune responses without the risks associated with whole-organism vaccines.
Table 1. The protective effect of different types vaccines against Trichinella spiralis infection. (Tang B., et al., 2020)
| Vaccine type |
Animal model |
Antigen/Adjuvant |
Antigen delivery |
Dose |
Protection |
| Live attenuated vaccines |
Mice |
Attenuated larvae |
oral |
300 attenuated larvae |
72.5% reduction in ML |
| Natural antigens vaccines |
Pigs |
Whole newborn larvae/Freund's complete adjuvant |
ip |
3.5 × 105 NBL |
78% reduction in ML |
| Mice |
Larval Excretory-secretory (ES) products/Freund's complete adjuvant |
ip |
10 µg |
65.3% reduction in ML |
| Mice |
CTAB antigen/Freund's complete adjuvant |
sc |
100 µg |
50.42% reduction in ML |
| Recombinant protein vaccines |
Mice |
T. spiralis serine protease (rTsSP)/cholera toxin subunit B |
in |
30 µg |
71.10% reduction in Ad and 62.10% reduction in ML |
| Mice |
T. spiralis serine protease inhibitor (rTsSPI)/Freund's complete adjuvant |
sc |
20 µg |
62.2% reduction in Ad and 57.25% reduction in ML |
| Mice |
T. spiralis adult-specific DNase II-1 (rTsDNase II-1)/Freund's adjuvant |
sc |
20 µg |
40.36% reduction in Ad and 50.43% reduction in ML |
| DNA vaccines |
Mice |
pcDNA3.1(+)-TsNBLsp |
im |
60 µg |
77.93% reduction in ML |
| Synthetic peptide vaccines |
Mice |
A 40-mer synthetic peptide |
sc |
100 µg |
64.3% reduction in Ad |
Therapeutics Development for Trichinosis
Antiparasitic Drugs
The conventional therapeutics for trichinosis has relied on antiparasitic medications, primarily albendazole and mebendazole. These drugs are effective against adult worms and larvae but have associated side effects, such as bone marrow suppression, necessitating careful monitoring during therapeutics. In cases of severe trichinosis, corticosteroids may be administered to manage inflammation and other systemic symptoms.
Novel Antiparasitic Agents
Research is ongoing to discover and develop novel antiparasitic agents that target Trichinella at various stages of its life cycle. For instance, several studies are exploring the efficacy of compounds derived from natural sources, such as plant extracts, which have shown promise in preclinical trials by exhibiting both antiparasitic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Our Services
In the field of vaccine and therapeutic development for trichinellosis, comprehensive services are essential to advance the R&D pipeline. Our company can meet all requirements, providing professional services from initial antigen discovery and validation to all stages of preclinical trials.
Disease Models
- T. spiralis Live Larvae Infection Mouse Models
- T. spiralis Antigens Infection Mouse Models
- Pig Models of Infection with Larvae from Contaminated Sources
Our preclinical research services encompass a range of activities from the identification of potential vaccine candidates through to efficacy testing in relevant animal models. We utilize state-of-the-art facilities and adhere to stringent scientific standards to ensure the validity of our findings. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.
References
- Tang Bin, et al. "Vaccines as a strategy to control trichinellosis." Frontiers in microbiology 13 (2022): 857786.
- Gottstein, Bruno, Edoardo Pozio, and Karsten Nöckler. "Epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and control of trichinellosis." Clinical microbiology reviews 22.1 (2009): 127-145.
All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use
only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.
