[Disseminated cysticercosis affecting the brain, the eye and the skin on a Senegalese patient]. / Cysticercose disséminée à localisation neurologique, oculaire et cutanée chez une patiente sénégalaise.

Cysticercosis is a neglected tropical disease set as health priority by WHO. Most of the reported cases included isolated types of cysticercosis affecting the skin, the eyes or the brain . Disseminated types, however, are rare. We here report a case of disseminated cysticercosis affecting the brain, the eyes and the skin in a Senegalese female patient aged 66 years admitted with headaches and chronic seizures. Clinical examination showed cerebellar syndrome associated with generalized and painless nodular subcutaneous lesions. Diagnosis was confirmed based on histopathological examination of skin biopsy which showed cysticerci. Patient's outcome was good under albendazole therapy.

Cerebral sparganosis presenting with atypical postcontrast magnetic resonance imaging findings: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Sparganosis, a rare and severe parasitic infection caused by the larvae of Spirometra species or simply sparganum, generally involves subcutaneous tissue or muscle. But occasionally, sparganum can also invade the human brain, resulting in cerebral sparganosis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 33-year-old woman presented with a 10-day history of headache. Postcontrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an irregular lesion with enhancement and the tunnel-shaped focus extending to the contralateral hemiphere. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis disclosed pleocytosis (166 cells/µL) and an elevated protein concentration (0.742 g/L). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed positive sparganum-specific antibody in both blood and CSF. Finally, the diagnosis of cerebral sparganosis was comfirmed. She received praziquantel treatment and got a favorable outcome during six-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Irregular enhancement and the tunnel sign that extends to the contralateral hemisphere on postconstrast MRI are unusual presentations of cerebral sparganosis. ELISA for sparganum-specific antibody can help confirm the diagnosis. Although surgery is the preferred treatment for cerebral sparganosis, praziquantel might also achieve satisfying outcomes.

Next generation sequencing based pathogen analysis in a patient with neurocysticercosis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Accurate and early diagnosis of neurocysticercosis (NCC) remains a challenge due to the heterogeneity of its clinical, immunological and imaging characteristics. The presence of cysticercus DNA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of NCC patients has been previously detected via conventional PCR assays. To the best of our knowledge, the use of CSF Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) based pathogen analysis in patients with NCC infection has never been reported. CASE PRESENTATION: This study reports the clinical, imaging, and immunological features of a patient initially presenting with several months of headache who further developed a pure sensory stroke. NGS was used to detect the pathogen, and her CSF demonstrated the presence of Taenia solium-DNA. This finding was confirmed by a positive reaction to CSF cysticercosis antibodies. After antiparasitic treatment, secondary CSF NGS revealed the DNA index have dropped considerably compared to the initial NGS readings. CONCLUSIONS: NGS is a promising tool for the early and accurate diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) infection, especially in the setting of atypical clinical manifestations. Further studies are required to evaluate the persistence of DNA in the CSF of patients.

Intracranial hydatid cyst: imaging findings of a rare disease.

Hydatid disease (echinococcosis) is a worldwide zoonosis produced by the larval stage of the Echinococcus tapeworm. The disease is endemic in many parts of the world, particularly in the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, South America and central and south Europe. Intracranial hydatid disease is considered a rare disease and may be sometimes very difficult to diagnose based on the clinical and laboratory findings. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the condition and the imaging findings even in the non-endemic parts of the world. We report the case of a 12-year-old boy who presented with headache and vomiting for a few months. The mass was totally excised, with no postoperative complications. We present MR spectroscopy (MRS) findings in this operatively proven case of hydatid cyst of the brain. We discuss imaging findings, in particular the findings on MRS, which is rarely reported in the literature.

Intraventricular Taenia solium cysts presenting with Bruns syndrome and indications for emergent neurosurgery.

Bruns syndrome is an unusual phenomenon, characterized by attacks of sudden and severe headache, vomiting, and vertigo, triggered by abrupt movement of the head. The presumptive cause of Bruns syndrome is a mobile deformable intraventricular mass leading to an episodic obstructive hydrocephalus. Intraventricular tumors have been associated with Bruns syndrome; however, few cases of intraventricular neurocysticercosis have been reported to present with Bruns syndrome. We report the first series of fourth ventricular neurocysticercosis presenting with Bruns syndrome in the United States and review the other published cases where surgery was indicated.

Posterior fossa mass in immunosuppressed patient.

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasmosis is the most frequent opportunistic infection of the central nervous system among individuals with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Radiographic modalities include brain CT, MRI and PET scan. The differential diagnosis are usually: primary CNS lymphoma, cerebral metastasis, Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, cytomegalovirus. It indicates severe immunodeficiency and, if it remains untreated, it may lead to death. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 65 year old immunodeficiency woman with a Non Hodgkin Lymphoma treated with Chemotherapy. She had been suffering from vomiting, headache and vertigo. Treatment she received Dafalgan, Betaserc, neupogen and nexiam. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates that a brain biopsy is compulsory before starting any treatment.

Assessing the burden of human cysticercosis in Vietnam.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the occurrence of cysticercosis in patients living in rural areas of Northern Vietnam presenting clinical signs of neurocysticercosis. METHODS: Serological antigen detection, reflecting current infection with viable larval stages of Taenia solium, was used to estimate the prevalence of active cysticercosis in this patient population. RESULTS: The seroprevalence in epileptic patient population was <10%. However, antigen detection cannot detect dead cysticerci, which may also cause clinical signs. Therefore, the seroprevalence figures shown here may underestimate the role of neurocysticercosis as a causal agent of epilepsy and headaches in this population. CONCLUSIONS: Human and porcine cysticercosis remain public and veterinary public health problems in Northern Vietnam and probably in other parts of the country.

Clinico-radiological aspects of neurocysticercosis in pediatric population in a tertiary hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Neurocysticercosisis common in developing countries including Nepal. Clinicalpresentations vary depending on the CT scan findings of head. Adequate information of neurocysticercosis in children from Western Nepal is lacking. This study was conducted with an objective of evaluating the most common clinical and radiological picture in children suffering from NCC at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Western Nepal. METHODS: Hospital records of all pediatric inpatients, admitted from 16th June 2010 to 15th December 2012, consistent with the diagnosis of Neurocysticercosis were reviewed. RESULTS: Forty nine cases of neurocysticercosis were enrolled. Their age varied 2.6 years to 14 years with the mean age of 10.6 years and the peak age was at 12 years with slight male predominance, ratio being male:female 1.2:1. The commonest presentation was seizures (n=38; 77.5 %); partial seizures being most common. Most of the lesions were single (n=44; 89.8%), predominantly in the parietal region (n=20; 40.8%) and most were in transitional stage (61.22%) in Computed tomography (CT).However, number of lesions from CT scan of head showed no significance in association with seizure types (p=0.84). In addition, perilesional edema and scolex within the lesion were noted in 67.34% and 18.36% of the cases respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Any child presenting with acute onset of afebrile seizure should be screened for neurocysticercosis provided other common infective and metabolic causes are ruled out. CT scan is the valuable diagnostic tool to support our diagnosis.

Increased frequency of headache and change in visual aura due to occipital cysticercus granuloma.

Migraine is a common clinical disorder, quite disabling and affecting the quality of life in majority of patients. The visual aura is the commonest among all types of aura. Various types of migraine aura described in the literature are photopsia, fortification spectra, scotoma, visual distortion, haemianopia and metamorphsia. The epileptic visual aura differs from aura associated with migraine in certain features: short lasting for 2-3 minutes, occurring in clusters, multicoloured and circular in shape. The ictal manifestations of occipital lobe lesions can mimic episodes of migraine with visual aura according to some reports. In this case report, we intended to highlight aggravation and increased frequency of headache attacks and changed pattern of aura induced by occipital lobe cysticercus granuloma in a patient diagnosed of migraine with aura. The importance of neuroimaging of brain in state of unexpected increased frequency of headache episodes has been emphasised.

One hemodialysis patient with headache, blurred vision, and hypotension induced by pituitary prolactinoma.

We reported a rare case of a dialysis patient coincident pituitary prolactinoma with calcification. A 55-year-old woman who had undergone hemodialysis for 8 years was admitted to the nephrology unit because of headache, blurred vision, and hypotension. Physical examination was normal; endocrinological examination demonstrated elevated serum levels of prolactin (> 4240 mIU/L), but other hormonal profiles, such as growth hormon, adrenocorticotropic hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone, free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone, were absolutely or relatively lower. A cranial computed tomography (CT) suggested saddle area a high-density screenage with an anteroposterior diameter of 1.0 cm. A cerebral magnetic resonance scan confirmed the pituitary adenoma accompanied with calcification. Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images revealed a less enhancing tumor, 14 mm wide round lesion with a high intensity signal. It enlarges the sella turcica, but the optic chiasma is not displaced. We suggest that in the differential diagnosis of any hemodialysis patient with severe headache, hypotension, and visual disturbances, this syndrome should be considered as prompt pituitary adenoma.

Hydatid cyst of the ambient cistern radiologically mimicking an arachnoid cyst.

Hydatid cysts of the posterior fossa are extremely rare. Intracranial hydatid cysts are more common in children and occur more frequently in the supratentorial space. A 7-year-old boy was admitted to the emergency department because of intense headache, nausea, vomiting, and progressive drowsiness that developed within the period of a week. On radiological examination a round, 2.5 × 2.5-cm cystic lesion appeared in the ambient cistern and caused hydrocephalus as a result of extrinsic aqueductal stenosis. The cyst was successfully removed using the puncture, aspiration, irrigation, and resection technique via an infratentorial-supracerebellar approach with the patient in the sitting position. The authors here described an unusual case of a hydatid cyst in the left ambient cistern with hydrocephalus due to extrinsic aqueductal stenosis, which seems to be the first such case in the literature. Hydatid cyst may be considered in the differential diagnosis of arachnoid cysts of the quadrigeminal cistern to determine which surgical procedure to perform and to avoid unexpected complications.

Bruns' syndrome and racemose neurocysticercosis: a case report.

Cysticercosis is an infection caused by the larval stage of the tapeworm Taenia solium. The parasite may infect the central nervous system, causing neurocysticercosis (NCC). The clinical manifestations depend on load, type, size, location, stage of development of the cysticerci, and the host's immune response against the parasite. The racemose variety occurs in the ventricles or basal cisterns and is a malignant form. Mobile ventricular mass can produce episodic hydrocephalus on changing head posture with attacks of headache, vomiting, and vertigo, triggered by abrupt movement of the head, a phenomenon called Bruns' syndrome (BS). We report a patient with racemose NCC and BS.

Bruns' syndrome and racemose neurocysticercosis: a case report / Síndrome de Bruns e neurocisticercose racemosa: relato de caso

Cysticercosis is an infection caused by the larval stage of the tapeworm Taenia solium. The parasite may infect the central nervous system, causing neurocysticercosis (NCC). The clinical manifestations depend on load, type, size, location, stage of development of the cysticerci, and the host's immune response against the parasite. The racemose variety occurs in the ventricles or basal cisterns and is a malignant form. Mobile ventricular mass can produce episodic hydrocephalus on changing head posture with attacks of headache, vomiting, and vertigo, triggered by abrupt movement of the head, a phenomenon called Bruns' syndrome (BS). We report a patient with racemose NCC and BS.

A infecção por cisticercose é causada pelo estágio larval da Taenia solium. O parasita pode infectar o sistema nervoso central, causando neurocisticercose (NCC). As manifestações clínicas dependem da quantidade, tipo, tamanho, local, estágio de desenvolvimento do cisticerco e resposta imune do hospedeiro contra o parasita. A variedade racemosa ocorre nas cisternas ventriculares ou basais e é considerada uma forma maligna. O cisticerco móvel no ventrículo pode produzir hidrocefalia episódica com ataques de cefaléia, vômitos e vertigem, provocados pelo movimento abrupto da cabeça, fenômeno chamado de síndrome de Bruns (SB). Relataremos o caso de uma paciente com NCC racemosa com SB.