Cysticercosis in the elderly.
The immunosenescence, a peculiarity of the aging process, increases the susceptibility of elderly individuals to neoplasia, infections, and parasitosis, among them, cysticercosis. The aim of this study was to compare the epidemiological and anatomopathological characteristics of cysticercosis in elderly or nonelderly patients. We reviewed 72 autopsies, protocols and specimens, performed in the School Hospital of the Triangulo Mineiro Federal University. We selected 3 groups: elderly with cysticercosis, nonelderly with cysticercosis, and control group without cysticercosis. From the patients with cysticercosis, 27.8% were elderly. Of these, 80% presented with neurocysticercosis and 20% cardiac cysticercosis. In the elderly, the early stages of the parasitic development, vesicular and colloidal vesicular, prevailed (75%). In relationship with the causes of death, death in 40% of the elderly was by neoplasic and 35% by cardiovascular, whereas for the nonelderly, death in 63.5% was by cardiovascular and 25% by infectious. There was a significant difference between groups with relation to neoplasic and cardiovascular causes. Therefore, cysticercosis was frequent in elderly patients, and probably patients are continuously infected with cysticercosis as they age. Perhaps, decurrence of the immunosenescence associated with immunological alterations caused by cysticercosis form favorable conditions to the development of neoplasias in the elderly attacked by the parasitosis.
Cavellani
Camila Lourencini
CL
Biomedical, Graduated Course in Pathology, Triangulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil. myllacave@yahoo.com
Faleiros
Ana Carolina Guimarães
AC
Lino
Ruy de Souza
Rde S
Dos Reis
Marlene Antônia
MA
Teixeira
Vicente de Paula Antunes
Vde P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D001344:Autopsy; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies