[Clinical and epidemiological aspects of neurocysticercosis in Brazil: a critical approach].
With the objective to show the characteristics of neurocysticercosis (NCC) in Brazil, was performed a critical analysis of national literature which showed a frequency of 1.5% in autopsies and 3.0% in clinical studies, corresponding to 0.3% of all admissions in general hospitals. In seroepidemiological studies the positivity of specific reactions was 2.3%. Brazilian patient with NCC presents a general clinical-epidemilogical profile (31-50 years old man, rural origin, complex partial epileptic crisis, increased protein levels or normal CSF, CT showing calcifications, constituting the inactive form of NCC), and a profile of severity (21-40 years old woman, urban origin, vascular headache and intracranial hypertension, typical CSF syndrome of NCC or alteration of two or more CSF parameters, CT showing vesicles and/or calcifications, constituting the active form of NCC). Although two localities from the state of S o Paulo have 72:100000 and 96:100000/habitants as prevalence coefficients, regional and national prevalences are very underestimated. Some aspects related to underestimation of NCC prevalence in Brazil are discussed.
Departamento de Neurologia e Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Universidade Estadual de São Paulo, Botucatu, Brasil. agapejev@fmb.unesp.br
Svetlana
S
Agapejev
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors