title: Primary cerebral echinococcosis presenting as long-standing generalized weakness.
abstract: Echinococcosis is an infectious disease that can remain dormant for years. The most common sites of infection are liver and lungs. Primary cerebral disease is very rare. Here we report on an unusual case of echinococcosis, where the only identifiable lesion was a slowly growing intracranial hydatid cyst. No lesions on the liver identified. The patient is a United States immigrant from rural South India with a chief complaint of progressive weakness and aphasia. Further analysis revealed an interesting association between the clinical, anatomical and hematological findings over time. We conclude that hydatid cyst disease should be considered in patients from endemic areas with long-standing neurological symptoms.
authors.affiliation: DO, PhD, Department of Medicine, Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Madeo
authors.affiliation: MD, PhD, Department of Medicine, Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: MD, Department of Medicine, Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Shadab
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: MD, Department of Medicine, Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Radhames
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramos De Oleo
keywords: Hydatid cyst; cerebral echinococcosis; cystic brain lesion