CEREBRAL AND SUBCUTANEOUS CYSTICERCOSIS TREATED WITH ALBENDAZOLE

Background. Cysticercosis is the most common parasitic disease of the central nervous system in the world, but cysticercosis cutis has been reported much less frequently. Because 54% of patients present with su bcutaneous nodules, we report here the association of cysticercosis cu tis in a patient with neurocysticercosis and review the literature and treatment options. Case Report. The patient presented with multiple, asymptomatic subcutaneous nodules over the trunk and the extremities, associated with central nervous system involvement. Examination of an excised nodule by light microscopy revealed a larval cyst in the deep dermis surrounded partly by a fibrous pseudocapsule. Computed tomograp hic scanning of the skull showed multiple, nonenhancing, and calcified cysts in both cerebral hemispheres. Treatment with albendazole, 15 mg /kg/day for 30 days, was highly effective. At follow-up 6 months later , most subcutaneous nodules had disappeared or were markedly reduced i n size, and the cerebral lesions had much improved. Conclusions. Alben dazole, a newer paracidal drug, seems to be more effective and less ex pensive than some other drugs in use for the treatment of neurocystice rcosis.