Treatment of neurocysticercosis: current status and future research needs.
Here we put forward a roadmap that summarizes important questions that need to be answered to determine more effective and safer treatments. A key concept in management of neurocysticercosis is the understanding that infection and disease due to neurocysticercosis are variable and thus different clinical approaches and treatments are required. Despite recent advances, treatments remain either suboptimal or based on poorly controlled or anecdotal experience. A better understanding of basic pathophysiologic mechanisms including parasite survival and evolution, nature of the inflammatory response, and the genesis of seizures, epilepsy, and mechanisms of anthelmintic action should lead to improved therapies.
Nash
T E
TE
Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA. tnash@niaid.nih.gov
Singh
G
G
White
A C
AC
Rajshekhar
V
V
Loeb
J A
JA
Proaño
J V
JV
Takayanagui
O M
OM
Gonzalez
A E
AE
Butman
J A
JA
DeGiorgio
C
C
Del Brutto
O H
OH
Delgado-Escueta
A
A
Evans
C A W
CA
Gilman
R H
RH
Martinez
S M
SM
Medina
M T
MT
Pretell
E J
EJ
Teale
J
J
Garcia
H H
HH
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000980:Antiplatyhelmintic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000639:trends*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends*
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000980:Antiplatyhelmintic Agents