A parasitic disease affecting the central nervous system and characterised by the presence of fluid-filled cysts in the brain or spinal cord. It is common in areas or cultures where eating raw or poorly cooked pork meat is a regular practice.
It is caused by ingestion of taenia solium eggs present in contaminated food or water. Once these eggs are ingested, the larvae are released in the intestine and can travel through the blood to the central nervous system, where they lodge and develop cysts.
Symptoms include severe headaches, seizures, vision problems, difficulty concentrating, muscle weakness, loss of coordination and behavioural disturbances.
Diagnosis is based on each patient's assessment and imaging tests, such as CT or MRI scans. In addition, blood tests and cerebrospinal fluid studies may be useful to confirm the presence of the disease and to rule out other diseases.
Treatment involves the use of anti-parasitic drugs, such as albendazole or praziquantel, to kill the larvae and reduce inflammation.
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- White AC Jr, Coyle CM, Rajshekhar V, et al. Diagnosis and Treatment of Neurocysticercosis: 2017 Clinical Practice Guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH). Clin Infect Dis 2018; 66:e49.
- Dixon MA, Winskill P, Harrison WE, Basáñez MG. Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis: From parasite biology and immunology to diagnosis and control. Adv Parasitol 2021; 112:133.
- Medina MT, Durón RM, Martínez L, et al. Prevalence, incidence, and etiology of epilepsies in rural Honduras: the Salamá Study. Epilepsia 2005; 46:124.
