Cerebral and spinal schistosomiasis.

Cerebral schistosomiasis and spinal schistosomiasis are severe underrecognized complications of Schistosoma sp. infection, and can occur at any time during the parasitic infection. Neuroschistosomiasis has been increasingly reported not only in endemic areas but also in Western countries owing to immigration and international travel. Immunogenic interaction between schistosome egg deposition and the delayed hypersensitivity reaction of the host are the main neuropathogenic mechanisms involved. Eggs induce a periovular granulomatous reaction in the tissues. In some cases, schistosome adult worms may aberrantly migrate to the central nervous system via the vertebral venous plexus and place the ova at an ectopic site. Headache and seizures are common in cerebral schistosomiasis, and intracranial hypertension and hydrocephalus may occur in tumour-like and cerebellar schistosomiasis. Spinal schistosomiasis may manifest itself as acute myelitis and/or myeloradiculopathy. Recognition of neuroschistosomiasis is important so that early treatment with praziquantel and steroids can be started in an attempt to prevent severe disability.

Neuroschistosomiasis.

Schistosomiasis (bilharzia) is a neglected tropical disease caused by digenetic trematode platyhelminths of the genus Schistosoma. Neuroschistosomiasis is one of the most severe clinical outcomes associated with schistosome infection. Neurological complications early during the course of infection are thought to occur through in situ egg deposition following aberrant migration of adult worms to the brain or spinal cord. The presence of eggs in the CNS induces a cell-mediated Th2-driven periovular granulomatous reaction. The mass effect of thousands of eggs and the large granulomas concentrated within the brain or spinal cord explain the signs and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure, myelopathy, radiculopathy and subsequent clinical sequelae. Myelopathy (acute transverse myelitis and subacute myeloradiculopathy) of the lumbosacral region is the most common neurological manifestation of S. mansoni or S. haematobium infection, whereas acute encephalitis of the cortex, subcortical white matter, basal ganglia or internal capsule is typical of S. japonicum infection. Cerebral complications include encephalopathy with headache, visual impairment, delirium, seizures, motor deficits and ataxia, whereas spinal symptoms include lumbar pain, lower limb radicular pain, muscle weakness, sensory loss and bladder dysfunction. The finding of eggs in the stool or a positive serology, provides supportive but not direct evidence of neuroschistosomiasis. A definitive diagnosis can only be made with histopathological study showing Schistosoma eggs and granulomas. Schistosomicidal drugs (notably praziquantel), steroids and surgery are currently used for the treatment of neuroschistosomiasis. During the 'acute phase' of the disease, neuroschistosomiasis is treated with corticosteroids which are augmented with a course of praziquantel once female worm ovipositioning commences. Surgery should be reserved for special cases such as in those with evidence of medullary compression and in those who deteriorate despite clinical management.

Epidemiological aspects in neuroschistosomiasis / Aspectos epidemiologicos na neuroesquistossomose

The urbanization process of schistosomiasis has been described in the literature. The present report shows and discusses some epidemiological aspects of neuroschistosomiasis that emphasizes this trend. Method: The study was done between July, 2005 and June, 2006, and consisted of spinal cord schistosomiasis carriers at the moment of diagnosis. These patients were evaluated whatever the origin and period of the year that they developed the symptoms. Results: A total of 13 patients were evaluated. Ten cases (76.92 percent) came from the Metropolitan Region of Recife, while the other zones (Zona da Mata, Agreste e Sertão) contributed with just three cases (23.07 percent). October, November and December (post rainy period) concentrated the majority of the cases (61.54 percent). Conclusion: The high spatial and temporal concentration of cases in relation to a recent endemic area for Schistosomiasis suggests that the immunological status may be an important factor for installation of Sschistosomal myelitis.

O processo de urbanização da esquistossomose vem sendo descrito na literatura. O presente estudo apresenta e discute alguns aspectos epidemiológicos na neuroesquistossomose que confirmam essa tendência. Método: O estudo foi realizado entre julho de 2005 e junho de 2006, sendo composto por portadores de mielite esquistossomótica no momento do diagnóstico. Os pacientes foram avaliados quanto à procedência e ao período do ano que desenvolveram a doença. Resultados: No total foram 13 pacientes avaliados, sendo 10 casos (76,92 por cento) provenientes da Região Metropolitana do Recife, enquanto as demais regiões (Zona da Mata, Agreste e Sertão) contribuíram com apenas um caso cada. Os meses de outubro, novembro e dezembro concentraram a maioria dos pacientes (61,54 por cento). Conclusão: A alta concentração espacial e temporal de casos em relação a uma área endêmica recente para esquistossomose sugere que a participação de fatores imunológicos possa ser importante para o desenvolvimento de sua forma medular.

[Clinical analysis of 78 cases of parasitic encephalopathy].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, therapeutic approaches and outcomes of parasitic encephalopathy. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out to analyze 78 cases of parasitic encephalopathy in Huashan Hospital between June 2003 and June 2008. RESULTS: There were 52 male and 26 female patients with a mean age of (34.5+/-11.4) years. Among these patients, 32.1% (25/78) had a history of eating raw, neurocysticercosis accounted for 78.2% (61/78), cerebral sparganosis 15.4% (12/78), cerebral paragonimiasis 3.8% (3/78), and cerebral toxoplasmosis 2.6% (2/78). The common clinical features were epilepsy, headache, nausea, vomiting, vision and hearing loss, facial paralysis and mental retardation. Internal medical therapy resulted in an improvement in 69.2% of the patients. 7 out of 9 patients got improved or cured by combined surgical and internal medical treatment. 42 cases were diagnosed as parasitic encephalopathy while 36 cases (46.1%) were once misdiagnosed as other disorders. CONCLUSION: Parasitic encephalopathy is associated with a history of eating raw, with a high rate of misdiagnosis. Internal medicine combined with surgery is an effective way for the therapy.

Perfil clínico e epidemiológico da mielorradiculopatia esquistossomótica em Pernambuco / Clinical-epidemiological profile of schistosomiasis mielorradiculopathy in Pernambuco

A esquistossomose mansônica é uma doença infecciosa, parasitária e endêmica relacionada com as precárias condições social, econômica e sanitária. O envolvimento do sistema nervoso central é uma das mais intensas formas ectópicas de infecção esquistossomal. Apesar das mielopatias não traumáticas serem freqüentes, as suas ocorrências não estão associadas à real prevalência de mielorradiculopatia esquistossomótica (MRE). Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a incidência desta doença e suas características clínicas e epidemiológicas em pacientes diagnosticados em três unidades de saúde de Pernambuco, no período de 1994 a 2006. A coleta de dados foi constituída pelo levantamento de informações em prontuários baseado em protocolos de avaliação, previamente elaborados, específicos para mielorradiculopatia esquistossomótica e para mielopatias de outras causas. O diagnóstico presuntivo baseou-se na epidemiologia positiva para esquistossomose, na comprovação laboratorial através do exame parasitológico de fezes e do líquido cefalorraquediano, e nos exames complementares da ressonância magnética e da biópsia retal. A disponibilização dos dados foi realizada por meio de um sistema de consulta com base em SIG (Sistema de Informações Geográficas), que armazenou todos os dados espaciais para manipulação e ligação dos atributos descritivos às feições gráficas, permitindo a visualização, a análise espacial e, principalmente, a atualização desses dados no sistema. Foram encontrados 139 casos de mielorradiculopatia esquistossomótica, que constituíram o grupo de casos, com uma faixa etária compreendida entre 2 e 83 anos. Os resultados mais relevantes encontrados foram: sexo masculino (66,2 por cento), contato com coleção hídrica (91 por cento), nível da lesão torácica (40,3 por cento), forma mielorradicular (76 por cento), positividade do exame parasitológico de fezes (48 por cento). A maioria dos pacientes utilizou-se de tratamento medicamentoso com corticoterapia (39 por cento) e obteve recuperação parcial sem limitação funcional (57 por cento). A casuística aponta para a necessidade de adoção de uma política de intervenção pautada em padronização propedêutica, evitando a subnotificação da doença. Recomenda-se também a realização de novos estudos que visem o aumento do conhecimento da prevalência dos casos de MRE em Pernambuco. O uso do SIG se mostrou extremamente eficaz, proporcionando o entendimento espacial da distribuição da MRE no Estado e direcionando a execução de ações de controle com importante redução de custos.

Neurological complications of Schistosoma infection.

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma. Currently more than 200 million people worldwide are affected. Neuroschistosomiasis constitutes a severe presentation of the disease. Neurological symptoms result from the inflammatory response of the host to egg deposition in the brain and spinal cord. Neurological complications of cerebral schistosomiasis include delirium, loss of consciousness, seizures, dysphasia, visual field impairment, focal motor deficits and ataxia. Cerebral and cerebellar tumour-like neuroschistosomiasis can present with increased intracranial pressure, headache, nausea and vomiting, and seizures. Myelopathy (acute transverse myelitis and subacute myeloradiculopathy) is the most common neurological complication of Schistosoma mansoni infection. Schistosomal myelopathy tends to occur early after infection and is more likely to be symptomatic than cerebral schistosomiasis. The conus medullaris and cauda equina are the most common sites of involvement. Severe schistosomal myelopathy can provoke a complete flaccid paraplegia with areflexia, sphincter dysfunction and sensory disturbances. Schistosomicidal drugs, steroids and surgery are the currently available treatments for neuroschistosomiasis. Rehabilitation and multidisciplinary team care are needed in severely disabled patients.

Morbidity of schistosomiasis mansoni in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

From 2002 to 2005, a program of active search for patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis and schistosomal myeloradiculopathy has been implemented in the state of Minas Gerais by the local Health Department. The state was divided in 28 regional health centers and the local representatives have been trained to identify and direct patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis and neuroschistosomiasis to a reference center in Belo Horizonte, the capital of the state of Minas Gerais. Seventy five patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis and 54 with schistosomal myeloradiculopathy have been referred and examined in the reference center in a period of time of 3 years. Schistosomal myeloradiculopathy should be emphasized because the number of cases reported is increasing rapidly and when timely diagnosed and treated, they respond promptly to treatment. Left untreated, they die or become invalid for life. In our view, the time has come for more active investigation of the different aspects of morbidity caused by schistosomiasis mansoni in Brazil.

Perfil clínico e critérios diagnósticos da mielorradiculopatia esquistossomótica / Clinical profile and criteria for the diagnosis of schistosomotic myeloradiculopathy

Durante período de 20 anos (1972-1992), 56 pacientes com diagnóstico de mielorradiculopatia esquistossomótica foram internados em três hospitais de Belo Horizonte -- Minas Gerais. Dados de cada paciente foram coletados retrospectivamente de seus prontuários. Em todos os casos, o diagnóstico foi presumido e baseou-se nos seguintes critérios: 1) quadro de comprometimento medular torácico baixo ou lombossacro (síndrome de cone medular e/ou cauda equina); 2) epidemiologia positiva para esquistossomose; 3) comprovaçäo laboratorial de esquistossomose através de exame parasitológico de fezes ou biópsia retal; e 4) exclusäo de outras patologias que pudessem causar quadro semelhante. Vários aspectos clínicos e epidemiológicos foram estudados para determinar o perfil diagnóstico da mielorradiculopatia esquistossomótica nesta amostra e säo apresentados neste artigo. Reconhecendo os vários problemas no diagnóstico da mielorradiculopatia esquistossomótica, enfatizamos a importância de se pensar nesta entidade e sugerimos critérios para definiçäo diagnóstica

[Bilharzian meningomyeloradiculopathy in children]. / La méningo-myélo-radiculite bilharzienne chez l'enfant.

Child meningomyeloradiculitis is a rare complication form of schistosomiasis, even in hyperendemic area. Its diagnosis is very difficult, especially if there are not history or signs of Schistosoma mansoni or hematobium infections. It must be evocated in case of acute flask paralysis occurring in children living in Schistosoma infections endemic area. The authors report a 14-year-old boy's case and suggest etiopathogeny of the disease.