Subcutaneous Taenia Crassiceps Infection in a Patient With Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Abstract

Infections with larvae of Taenia crassiceps are rare in humans and have mostly affected patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. We report the first case of a patient with malignancy (non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) and infection of the subcutis and muscles of the hand and forearm. Surgery and antiparasitic chemotherapy led to a complete cure.

Management of a Chest-Wall Soft-Tissue Tumor Caused by an Infection with the Larval Tapeworm Pathogen Taenia crassiceps

“…In at least 4 previously published cases of 10 subcutaneous infections, the parasitic infection developed after a trauma or hematoma at the respective body site. [3][4][5]14 Our patient did not report such incidents but did repot an insect bite leading to inflammatory tissue damage at the later site of parasite lodging. Thus, hematoma or traumatically altered or inflamed tissue seems to be a predilection site for an infection.…”

“…Deworming therapy was carried out later, however, without a prior stool examination. In another German case described in 2006, 5 the infected patient owned an imported stray dog from the Greek isle of Crete. The parasite is prevalent in Greece 15 ; however, despite these parallels, most human infections were described from central Europe (Germany, N = 4; France, N = 3; Switzerland, N = 3; Austria, N = 1).…”

“…In immunosuppressed individuals, the larval stages (metacestodes) develop subcutaneously or in muscular tissue, [5][6][7][8] causing T. crassiceps cysticercosis. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) [2][3][4]6,7 and nonHodgkin's lymphoma 5 were regarded as pre-disposition. Rarely, the parasite has been found in the eye and the cerebellum; these findings were in patients without known immune defects.…”

“…[2][3][4][5][6][7] The tapeworm is maintained in a sylvatic cycle involving foxes as natural final hosts and rodents as intermediate hosts. The parasite is present in North America, Russia, and Europe.…”

Experimental neurocysticercosis: absence of IL-4 induces lower encephalitis

“…Taenia crassiceps is also used as an experimental model for NCC studies due to is antigenic similarities to T. solium cysticerci 8,15 . It has also already been described that T. crassiceps cysticerci are able to induce NCC in immunocompromised 16 and immunocompetent individuals 17 . In this model, the infected animals presented with tissue alterations and lesions such as encephalitis, perivasculitis, ventriculomegaly, ependymitis, meningitis, microgliosis accompanied by the parasite's death, and extraparenchymal and parenchymal inflammatory infiltration 6,18 .…”