Gómez FE, Paredes AE, Caire HLE, García EC

Language: Spanish
References: 25
Page: 230-233
PDF size: 271.59 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Cysticercosis represents the most frequent parasitic infection of the central nervous system, caused by the larva of the Taenia solium parasite. This condition is endemic in regions of central and South America. The parasite can be found virtually anywhere in the central nervous system, including the cerebral parenchyma, the subarachnoid space and the ventricular system and in the spinal cord, however, the medullary involvement is very rare, being observed only in about 0.7 to 5.8% of cases of neurocysticercosis. We present the case of a 17-year-old Latino man with a 3-year history of predominantly morning headache that could suggest orthostatic mechanisms leading to subsequent study with magnetic resonance imaging where we observed the presence of multiple cystic lesions in the subarachnoid space, in prepontine cistern and in the medullocervical junction. The patient underwent endoscopic examination and ventriculostomy where the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis was confirmed. The initial treatment was with a cycle of albendazole, but due to the persistence of the lesions and an inflammatory lumbar puncture, the treatment was repeated with an almost complete resolution of the symptoms. The case exemplifies the need to consider endemic diseases as a differential diagnosis, although neurocysticercosis cases are increasingly unusual and the patient had no history of infection risk, the disease remains endemic in Latin American countries, it can occur with virtually any neurological clinic and should always be considered within differential diagnoses.

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