We have carried out the proof-of-principle for bioinformatic selection of suitable long synthetic peptides (LSPs) for the tapeworms Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus granulosus, both of major medical importance causing alveolar (AE) and cystic echinococcosis (CE), respectively. CE and particularly AE, due to its infiltrative and/or space-occupying growth, are severe diseases with high fatality rate and poor prognosis if managed incorrectly [23] . The importance of alveolar echinococcosis is not represented by the number of reported cases but rather by the severity of the disease in the individual patient [24] . Standard diagnostic tests for human echinococcosis, AE as well as CE, imply imaging techniques such as ultrasonography, x-ray and computer tomography, as well as serological tests based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblots [25] . Antigens used in these serodiagnostic tests were developed from crude extracts to purified fractions to recombinant antigens and for E. multilocularis to vesicular fluid originating from in vitro cultivated metacestodes [26] . Despite substantial improvements have been achieved, the main screening test still relies on the availability and quality of native antigens, i.e. hydatid fluid of Echinococcus granulosus cysts collected from naturally infected intermediate hosts at the slaughterhouse. One study reported that source and quality or fertility of cysts are critical for test outcome. This called for standardization of antigens and test methods [10] . To produce a robust and reproducible test for the routine diagnostic laboratory, we have evaluated the performance of chemically synthesized peptides in comparison to natural (EgHF, EM2) [26, 27] and recombinant antigen (EmII/3-10) [7] .