Neurocysticercosis Among Children in Chicago

Abstract

Neurocysticercosis has been diagnosed increasingly in the United States as a consequence of increased immigration from and travel to areas of endemic cysticercosis. We report a retrospective series of 47 pediatric cases of neurocysticercosis in our large children's hospital in Chicago, which has a large immigrant population. Neurocysticercosis was diagnosed on the basis of any of the following three criteria: (1) surgical biopsy findings, (2) radiographic findings consistent with neurocysticercosis as well as diagnostic serum and/or cerebrospinal fluid titers, or (3) consistent radiographic findings and a compatible epidemiologic history (without diagnostic serological findings). Epidemiologic, clinical, laboratory, and radiographic data were analyzed. Neurocysticercosis is a relatively common cause of afebrile seizures in children who present to our emergency department in Chicago. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are both important modalities in evaluation of children with neurocysticercosis. Laboratory studies are neither sensitive for nor predictive of the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis. Therapy is well tolerated. The long-term prognosis for treated patients appears to be excellent.

Neurocysticercosis in sub-Saharan Africa: a review of prevalence, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and management

“…58 Interestingly, this form of NCC also seems to be common in travellers returning from taeniosis/cysticercosis endemic countries, but only represents the minority of cases in people with NCC from other Asian countries such as China, countries of Latin America and the African continent. [59][60][61] In patients with incident (first seizure within the previous year) or prevalent epilepsy/epileptic seizures from countries other than India one usually sees multiple intracerebral lesions consisting of cysticerci in various stages including calcifications (Latin America, 6,30,38,62 sub-Saharan Africa, 3,7,42,63,64 Asia [65][66][67] ). Often calcifications are the only pathology and most of the patients seem to be asymptomatic with it.…”

Interleukin-5 and interleukin-10 are major cytokines in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with active neurocysticercosis

“…Epileptic seizures, hydrocephaly and intracranial hypertension, in this order, are the most frequent clinical features. This pleomorphic disease is a result of the presence of the parasite itself (cysticerci), the inflammatory process that surrounds the larvae, and the residual fibrosis and calcification (5,6).…”

Cysticercosis-Related Hospitalizations in the United States, 1998–2011

“…4 Relatively limited information on cysticercosis in the United States has included data from several hospital-based case series, a single emergency department study, three hospital discharge analyses, mortality data, surveillance information from two jurisdictions and limited surveys in selected populations. 2,[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] Only one of these studies, however, examined the country-wide burden of disease using a national-level database. 18 These studies have contributed vital information toward describing the occurrence of this disease in the United States, however they reflect only a portion of actual cases.…”