[Neurocysticercosis--5 years' experience at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases].
BACKGROUND
Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most common parasitic disease with wide distribution which is caused by larval forms of Taenia Solium. Our aim was to: show the most common clinical manifestations of patients with NCC and their importance in diagnosing this disease; examine the value of serologic diagnostic methods in blood and cerebrospinal fluid; to emphasize the value of radiological diagnostic methods--CT and MRI of the brain, in relation to the applied protocol of therapy, as well as the impact of anti-parasitic therapy on the outcome of this disease.


RESULTS
13 patients with NCC (from 35 to 63 years of age, median age 49; 61.5% male and 38.5% female) were treated at the Clinic of Infectious Diseases in Novi Sad during a five-year period. Two patients had a positive epidemic data of parasitic diseases of the intestinal tract in childhood. The most common clinical manifestation was headache in 61.5% of patients, and generalized convulsions and hemiparesis in 46.2%. Meningeal inflammation was present in 27.3% of patients. Two of five patients had positive ELISA test for cysticercosis in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid. CT and MRI findings confirmed parenchimal form of NCC in 30.8% of patients, while calcifications were found in 69.2% of patients. All patients were treated with Albendazole, 800 mg a day, in two doses, 30.76% of patients had a favorable outcome of the disease, 53.7% of patients were discharged with complications, and one patient died.


CONCLUSIONS
The most common manifestation of NCC in our patients was headache, followed by general convulsions and hemiparesis. Radiological diagnostic methods--CT and MRI--proved to be most valuable both in diagnostics and follow-up of lesions. All our patients were treated with Albendazole; Dexamethasone was applied in patients with severe inflammatory reaction, and anti-convulsive drugs in patients with convulsions.
Doder
Radoslava
R
Klinika za infektivne bolesti, 21000 Novi Sad, Hajduk Veljkova 1-7. doderd@EUnet.yu
Madle-Samardzija
Nadezda
N
Canak
Grozdana
G
Vukadinov
Jovan
J
Turkulov
Vesna
V
Sević
Sinisa
S
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
Neurocisticerkoza--petogodisnje iskustvo na Klinici za infektivne bolesti.