Neurocysticercosis. A frequent cause of seizures, epilepsy, and other neurological morbidity in most of the world

Bustos, Javier A.; Gonzáles, Isidro; Saavedra, Herbert; Handali, Sukwan; Garcı́a, Héctor H.

doi:10.1016/j.jns.2021.117527

Cited by 40 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 89 publications

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“…By affecting mostly the spinal cord, T. regenti differs from other neurotropic helminths, such as Angiostrongylus cantonensis, Toxocara spp., or Taenia solium, which primarily invade the brain and impair cognitive functions or cause seizures [9,[53][54][55][56]. Nevertheless, T. regenti resembles the neurotropic larvae of A. cantonensis and Toxocara spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the contrary, mice are suitable paratenic hosts for Toxocara spp., which are well adapted to survival in their tissues, including the CNS [74]. Similarly, viable cysticerci of T. solium actively evade the human immune response and cause no or mild inflammation [56]. Hence, T. regenti in mice is a perfect model enabling us to study natural mechanisms leading to helminth elimination within the CNS.…”

Section: Plos Pathogensmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mechanisms of the host immune response and helminth-induced pathology during Trichobilharzia regenti (Schistosomatidae) neuroinvasion in mice

et al. 2022

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Helminth neuroinfections represent serious medical conditions, but the diversity of the host-parasite interplay within the nervous tissue often remains poorly understood, partially due to the lack of laboratory models. Here, we investigated the neuroinvasion of the mouse spinal cord by Trichobilharzia regenti (Schistosomatidae). Active migration of T. regenti schistosomula through the mouse spinal cord induced motor deficits in hindlimbs but did not affect the general locomotion or working memory. Histological examination of the infected spinal cord revealed eosinophilic meningomyelitis with eosinophil-rich infiltrates entrapping the schistosomula. Flow cytometry and transcriptomic analysis of the spinal cord confirmed massive activation of the host immune response. Of note, we recorded striking upregulation of the major histocompatibility complex II pathway and M2-associated markers, such as arginase or chitinase-like 3. Arginase also dominated the proteins found in the microdissected tissue from the close vicinity of the migrating schistosomula, which unselectively fed on the host nervous tissue. Next, we evaluated the pathological sequelae of T. regenti neuroinvasion. While no demyelination or blood-brain barrier alterations were noticed, our transcriptomic data revealed a remarkable disruption of neurophysiological functions not yet recorded in helminth neuroinfections. We also detected DNA fragmentation at the host-schistosomulum interface, but schistosomula antigens did not affect the viability of neurons and glial cells in vitro. Collectively, altered locomotion, significant disruption of neurophysiological functions, and strong M2 polarization were the most prominent features of T. regenti neuroinvasion, making it a promising candidate for further neuroinfection research. Indeed, understanding the diversity of pathogen-related neuroinflammatory processes is a prerequisite for developing better protective measures, treatment strategies, and diagnostic tools.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Plos Pathogensmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanisms of the host immune response and helminth-induced pathology during Trichobilharzia regenti (Schistosomatidae) neuroinvasion in mice

et al. 2022

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“…The larvae most often grow within the nervous system and cause neurocysticercosis (NCC), which is the most important parasitic disease affecting the neurological system. It is estimated that about 30% of all cases of acquired human epilepsy in endemic areas are caused by NCC (Bustus et al 2021). T. solium infection is in the B list of infections of the World Organization for Animal Health (Braae et al 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Taeniasis-cysticercosis complex in the agrarian reform rural settlements, Brazil

et al. 2022

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Thousands of families live in agrarian reform rural settlements, these existing in Brazil since the 1980s. Factors such as agglomerations of families living in the same environment and the production of domestic animals can promote the transmission and maintenance of zoonosis in these areas. The epidemiology and geographic distribution of zoonotic diseases in settlement communities need to be highlighted. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence, risk factors and spatial distribution of the teniasis-cysticercosis complex in the agrarian reform rural settlements in the state of Minas Gerais. A total of 497 family farming properties, distributed in 52 settlements, were randomly selected and sampled. Biological samples of humans, cattle and pigs were collected and processed. Survey questionnaires were applied in each family farming property to collect data on animal production as well as sanitary, hygienic and social conditions of each family. Human fecal samples were analyzed for detection of teniasis infection, while animal blood samples were collected and subjected to serological testing to detect the cysticercosis infection. A total of three (0.35%) positive cases of human teniasis were identified, 64 (4.2%) of bovine cysticercosis and 17 (3.3%) of swine cysticercosis. Prevalence per family farming unit was 0.6% (3/497) of taeniasis through fecal test, 5.8% (17/294) for swine cysticercosis and 11.1% (52/469) for bovine cysticercosis. The spatial profile for human teniasis and swine cysticercosis were clustered in two different regions, while bovine cysticercosis showed a dispersed geographical distribution. Two risk factors were associated with the occurrence of bovine cysticercosis: stream as source of water (p=0.009) and the environment as destination of sewage (p=0.031), while burning of garbage was shown to be a significant protective factor (p<0.001). Risk factor for swine cysticercosis was associated with the presence of free range pigs (p=0.008) and the environment as the destination of sewage (p≤0.024). The low number of positive human taeniasis did not allow statistical analysis. These zoonotic diseases represent a significant risk to public health because of their occurrence in livestock which are produced for both beef consumption and for commercialization. Significant endemic areas in the state of Minas Gerais have been determined in this study, and these discoverments suggest the importance of further investment in public health education about teniasis-cysticercosis transmission, the improvement of sanitary facilities for the settlements such as source and treatment of water and adequate destination of sewage. Integrated actions between the human, animal and environmental health sectors, at local and regional levels are needed, aiming at the adoption of effective public policies for the control and eradication of the teniasis-cysticercosis complex where the disease occurs.

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“…Neurocysticercosis (NCC), defined as an infection of the central nervous system (CNS) by the cystic larval stage of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium , remains a major challenge in public health mainly due to associated neurological morbidity (Garcia et al, 2020 ; Bustos J. et al, 2021 ). This infection is endemic in most of the developing world including Central and South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and large regions of Asia including India, China, and Southeast Asia (Ndimubanzi et al, 2010 ; Garcia et al, 2020 ; Bustos J. et al, 2021 ). NCC is also increasingly diagnosed in non-endemic countries and industrialized countries due to immigration and travel from endemic zones (O'Neal et al, 2011 ; Gabriël et al, 2015 ; O'Neal and Flecker, 2015 ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Outside the nervous system, cysticercosis causes few or no symptoms and the cysts are usually identified and destroyed by the host's immune response. The clinical manifestations, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, and prognosis of NCC vary enormously depending on the type, stage, location, number and size of parasites in the nervous system, as well as the immune response of the host (Garcia et al, 2020 ; Bustos J. et al, 2021 ). The most frequent clinical manifestations of NCC are seizures, headaches, and intracranial hypertension.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

New animal models of neurocysticercosis can help understand epileptogenesis in neuroinfection

Garcı́a

Verástegui²,

Arroyo³

et al. 2022

Front. Mol. Neurosci.

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Neurocysticercosis (NCC), defined as an infection of the central nervous system (CNS) by the cystic larval stage of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium, remains a major challenge in public health mainly due to associated neurological morbidity (Garcia et al., 2020;. This infection is endemic in most of the developing world including Central and South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and large regions of Asia including India, China, and Southeast Asia (Ndimubanzi et al., 2010;Garcia et al., 2020;. NCC is also increasingly diagnosed in non-endemic countries and industrialized countries due to immigration and travel from endemic zones (O'Neal et al., 2011;Gabriël et al., 2015;O'Neal and Flecker, 2015).T. solium has a complex two-host life cycle. Humans acquire intestinal taeniasis by ingesting poorly cooked pork containing the parasitic cystic larvae or cysticerci. Once the adult tapeworm develops in the human small intestine, its microscopic eggs are shed with the stools. In places with poor sanitation and domestic pig raising, pigs ingest contaminated human feces containing T. solium eggs. Ingested Taenia eggs release their embryos, called oncospheres, which cross the intestinal mucosa, and are distributed by the circulatory system throughout the body. They evolve into metacestodes (postoncospheral stage) and encyst to form larval vesicles or cysticerci, reaching their definitive size in 2-3 months. These infected pigs become the intermediate host by being infected with the larval stage of the infection (cysticercosis), and thus the source of taeniasis in the community. Humans can also act as intermediate host instead of pigs and become infected with cysticercosis through accidental ingestion of Taenia eggs by fecal oral infection from a tapeworm carrier in their surroundings (Flisser, 1994).Clinical symptoms of NCC predominantly result from involvement of the CNS. Outside the nervous system, cysticercosis causes few or no symptoms and the cysts are usually identified and destroyed by the host's immune response. The clinical manifestations, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, and prognosis of NCC vary enormously depending on the type, stage, location, number and size of parasites in the Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience frontiersin.org

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Neurocysticercosis. A frequent cause of seizures, epilepsy, and other neurological morbidity in most of the world

Cited by 40 publications

References 89 publications

Mechanisms of the host immune response and helminth-induced pathology during Trichobilharzia regenti (Schistosomatidae) neuroinvasion in mice

Mechanisms of the host immune response and helminth-induced pathology during Trichobilharzia regenti (Schistosomatidae) neuroinvasion in mice

Taeniasis-cysticercosis complex in the agrarian reform rural settlements, Brazil

New animal models of neurocysticercosis can help understand epileptogenesis in neuroinfection

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