Clinical and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) profile and CSF criteria for the diagnosis of spinal cord schistosomiasis.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the clinical and CSF findings among patients with presumptive neuroschistosomiasis (NS) and to suggest a classification for the CSF diagnosis of presumptive NS.


METHODS
The charts of all patients whose CSF exam was performed at the CSF Lab, Jos  Silveira Foundation, Salvador, Brazil, from 1988 to 2002 were reviewed. Those with clinically suspected NS whose indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFA) and or hemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies test (HAI) were positive to S. mansoni were identified.


RESULTS
Of 377 patients, 67.9% were males; the median age was 36 years (mean 37 + 16 yrs, range 3-82 yrs). The most frequent complaints were paraparesis (59.9%), urinary retention (36.2%), lower limb pain (22.8%). WBC of CSF (count/mm ) was > 4 in 66.0% (mean 83 + 124, median 40, range 4.3-1,100), protein (mg/dl) was > 40 in 84.6% (mean 185 + 519, median 81, range 41-6,800) and eosinophils were present in 46.9%. IFA and HAI were positive in 75.3%. WBC > 4 and presence of eosinophils were associated with IFA and HAI positive (67.3% versus 51.4%, p 0.014; 49.1% versus 23.0%, p 0.0001, respectively) and protein > 40 was not (85.4% versus 77.0%, p 0.09). Presence of WBC > 4, protein > 40 and eosinophils was associated with IFA and HAI positive (71.6% versus 38.2%, p 0.0003) but presence of eosinophils and any other combination of WBC and protein were not.


CONCLUSIONS
NS should be considered as a possible diagnosis in patients who had had contact with schistosome-infected water and present with spinal cord compromising. Presence of IFA and HAI positive to S. mansoni, WBC > 4, protein > 40 and presence of eosinophils in the CSF may be considered as a criterium of highly probable presumptive diagnosis.
Moreno-Carvalho
Otávio Augusto
OA
CSF Lab, José Silveira Foundation, Salvador, BA, Brazil. nascimentocarvalho@hotmail.com
Nascimento-Carvalho
Cristiana Maria
CM
Bacelar
Aroldo Luiz da Silva
AL
Andrade-Filho
Antônio de Souza
Ade S
Costa
Gersonita
G
Fontes
Jandira Bastos
JB
Assis
Telma
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020818:Neuroschistosomiasis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis