Neurocysticercosis is the most common parasitic infection of the central nervous system and is caused by the larval stage of the tapeworm Taenia solium1. The pig is considered an intermediate host and ingests the eggs with food; in humans, which serve as the definitive host, these develop into adult tapeworms in the gastrointestinal tract. The adult tapeworm can produce several thousand eggs per day over a period of several years2.
Incidence
Neurocysticercosis occurs primarily in adults in their third or fourth decade of life. Infection in children or older adults is rare3.
Symptoms
The clinical manifestations of neurocysticercosis vary and can differ substantially depending on the location of the cysts, and a large proportion of patients remain completely asymptomatic4. In some patients, clinical symptoms do not develop until years after infection of the central nervous system. In patients with parenchymal cysts, epileptic seizures are a common symptom and, occurring in 70-80% of patients, are also considered the most frequently observed symptom5.
Diagnosis
The gold standard for the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis is biopsy6. The clinical symptoms are too nonspecific to establish a diagnosis, and serum tests likewise have low sensitivity and specificity7. The cysts can be visualized on CT and MRI, but a reliable diagnosis cannot be made based solely on imaging8.
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