title: Neurocysticercosis infection and disease-A review.
abstract: Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most common parasitic disease of the human central nervous system (CNS), a pleomorphic disease with a diverse array of clinical manifestations. The infection is pleomorphic and dependent on a complex range of interconnecting factors, including number and size of the cysticerci, their stage of development and localisation within the brain with resulting difficulties in accurate diagnosis and staging of the disease. This review examines the factors that contribute to the accurate assessment of NCC distribution and transmission that are critical to achieving robust disease burden calculations. Control and prevention of T. solium transmission should be a key priority in global health as intervention can reduce the substantial healthcare and economic burdens inflicted by both NCC and taeniasis. Surveillance systems need to be better established, including implementing obligatory notification of cases. In the absence of reliable estimates of its global burden, NCC will remain-along with other endemic zoonoses, of low priority in the eyes of funding agencies-a truly neglected disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infection and Pathway Medicine, Edinburgh Infectious Diseases, Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Chancellor's Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK.
authors.forename: Lucy B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Gripper
authors.affiliation: Division of Infection and Pathway Medicine, Edinburgh Infectious Diseases, Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Chancellor's Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK. Electronic address: Sue.Welburn@ed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Susan C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Welburn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000923:Anticestodal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000469:parasitology*; D003552:Cysticercus; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D058069:Neglected Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D041201:Taenia solium / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000923:Anticestodal Agents; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D005938:Glucocorticoids
keywords: Cestode; Epilepsy; Extra-parenchymal neurocysticercosis; Lateral flow assay; Neglected tropical diseases; Neurocysticercosis (NCC); Taenia solium; Taeniasis; Zoonoses