title: Radicular dysfunction preponderance at early phase clinical evaluation in myelitis by Schistosoma mansoni.
abstract: In neuroschistosomiasis, the spinal cord is the most common place of the disease. In high prevalent areas for schistosomiasis mansoni, the clinical alertness is important for an early diagnostic, in order to decrease the final neurological damage. This study provides some useful neurologic information about a series of patients with schistosomal myelitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of 13 schistosomiasis mansoni carriers examined at the moment of the diagnosis of myelitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The classical triad (lumbago, weakness at the lower limbs and urinary dysfunctions) was documented in 11 (86.61%) patients. The distribution of the clinical forms was: myeloradicular in six patients (46.15%), radicular in four (30.76%) and myelitic in three (23.07%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The radicular dysfunction and their clinical associated forms were the most prominent pattern during the early phase of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Pós-graduação em Neuropsiquiatria e Ciências Comportamentais, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil. vidal-claudio@ig.com.br
authors.forename: Claudio Henrique Fernandes
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.forename: Joacil Carlos da
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Jefferson Jane Oliveira
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Sara Pimentel Belleza
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Bernardino
authors.forename: Maria Lucia Brito
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020818:Neuroschistosomiasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult