Abstract:
The presence ofTaenia solium DNA from eggs in soils around the households in four
Tanzanian villages in Kongwa district were analysed in relation to seasonal fluctuations and
infection risk implications. A total of 192 pooled soil samples from five sampling points per
household were examined by droplet digital Polymerase Chain Reaction (ddPCR) from 96 pigkeeping
households both during the dry and rainy seasons. The pooled samples were first
processed by a flotation-double sieving technique, followed by screening for worm DNA
employing universal primers targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I
(cox1) gene of human taeniid species and some other helminths. All DNA positive samples
were later confirmed by a specific ddPCR probe assay targeting the mitochondrial cox1 gene
of T. solium. A total of 17.2% (n = 33) samples were positive with the universal ddPCR,
whereas T. solium DNA was confirmed by the specific ddPCR only in 3.1% (n = 3) of the
surveyed households. The detection of T. solium DNA in this study spells out a low risk of
exposure to T. solium eggs from contaminated household soil. Based on our results, ddPCR
seems to be a promising technology for screening T. solium eggs in soil.
