What Are Presentations of Neurocysticercosis?

Discussion Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most common parasitic CNS infection world-wide. It is caused by the larval stage of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium. It is endemic in Southeast Asia including the Indian Subcontinent, sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. It is becoming more common in other areas of the world because of immigration and the overall ease of travel. The basic Taenia lifecycle is that humans eat un- or undercooked pork (pigs are the intermediate host) that is invested with the larvae called cysterici. The adult tapeworm forms in the human gastrointestinal tract and eggs are produced. Humans are the definitive host. The eggs are shed in the stool and pigs ingest the eggs, and the eggs infect the pig and form the larvae again. Eggs in the human gastrointestinal tract (from the adult tapeworm or by fecal-oral ingestion) form embryos which cross into the bloodstream and then can lodge in any human tissue in the larval form. Therefore there are two different types of human infections: the adult tapeworm called taeniasis and the larval form called cysticercosis. Seizures are a common presenting symptom, so the differential diagnosis associated with first time seizures need to be considered such as febrile seizures, meningitis/encephalitis, masses, and electrolyte abnormalities. Also with NCC, other infections such as brain abscesses, brain granulomas (especially tuberculosis), fungal lesions and other types of brain cysts. The diagnosis can be challenging. NCC...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news