Neurocysticercosis: an imported disease?

BACKGROUND: Neurocysticercosis is the CNS involvement caused by Taenia soli um larvae and the most frequent cerebral parasitation. It has a cosmopolita n distribution but endemic in the low income countries. The paper analizes the geographic origin, clinical caracteristics of patients and the diagnost ic and therapeutic modalities. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Retrospective revision of clinical files in patients w ith the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis between the period January 1990 to March 2000, RESULTS: Ten patients were included of which only one was of Spanish nation ality. The others were immigrants or travellers to Central/South America 17 ), Africa (1) acid South East Asia (1), Nine patients presented with convul sive crisis, generalized in 7 and 3 cases suffered headaches. The diagnosis was obtained through biopsy technique [3 cases) and the rest through CT sc an or MR and serology. ELISA specific serology was positive in 60% of cases . Eight patients were treated with praziquantel or albendazol solely with g ood clinical evolution. CONCLUSIONS: Neurocysticercosis is prevalent among the immigrant population and in our case imported mostly from Latin America. Diagnosis is reached t hrough imaging and serological techniques. Treatment with praziquantel or a lbendazol improves the clinical picture and controls the convulsive crisis.