Medullary gnathostomiasis in a white patient: Use of immunodiagnosis and magnetic resonance imaging

A 48-year-old French diplomat presented with a sensory-motor paraparesis of rapid onset, leading to paraplegia. Successive magnetic resonance image sc ans showed lesions of the thoracic spinal cord that were at different level s from one examination to the next. Specific anti-gnathostome antibodies we re detected by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot test in both plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. Albendazole treatment prevente d disease progression, but only partial regression of the neurologic sympto ms was obtained.