[C3c activation and intrathecal biosynthesis in children suffering from eosinophilic meningoencephalitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis].
BACKGROUND
Eosinophilic meningoencephalitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis is an emergent infectious disease in our area. The objective of the present paper is to determine if the activation of the complement system was taken placed with the C3c production in cerebrospinal fluid.


METHODS
14 patients with an average age 4.5 years were studied. In such patients a lumbar punction was performed. C3c was quantified in serum and cerebrospinal fluid by radial immunodiffusion.


RESULTS
Median cell number was 396 x 10(-6)/L with an average of 8.8% of eosinophils. Main symptoms were headache, vomiting and fever. Meningeal signs were present in 50% of the patients. C3c intrathecal synthesis occurred in 13 patients (92.8%).


CONCLUSIONS
It was demonstrated the participation of complement system in third-stage larvae destruction in cerebrospinal fluid.
Padilla-Docal
B
B
Laboratorio Central de Líquido Cefalorraquídeo, Instituto Superior de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana, La Habana, Cuba. barbara.padilla@infomed.sld.cu
Dorta-Contreras
A J
AJ
Bu-Coifiú Fanego
R
R
D017185:Angiostrongylus cantonensis; D000818:Animals; D020809:Central Nervous System Helminthiasis / Q000276:immunology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000502:physiology*; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000276:immunology*
D003176:Complement C3