Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2019 Feb 11. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

School of Medicine, Universidad Espíritu Santo-Ecuador, Guayaquil, Ecuador.

A panel of experts from the Infectious Disease Society of America and The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene recently published guidelines for management of neurocysticercosis, showing that clinical manifestations as well as the stage of involution and the anatomical location of parasites must be taken into account before the start of a rational therapy. Soon thereafter, isolated opinions attempted to discredit these guidelines, arguing insufficient or inadequate evidence and suggesting that they should not be followed worldwide. In view of these conflicting reports, it is appropriate to review the origin and evolution of the controversy on the medical treatment of neurocysticercosis. Read More

Eur J Case Rep Intern Med 2018 31;5(1):000762. Epub 2018 Jan 31.

Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal.

Cysticercosis is triggered by infection with the larval form of the tapeworm . The usual sites for the development of cyscticerci are the central nervous system (neurocysticercosis - NCC), subcutaneous tissue, skeletal muscle, heart muscle, and the eye. Ocular cysticercosis is caused by the growth of the larvae within ocular tissues. Read More

Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019 Feb 11. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, USA

Cysticercosis is a parasitic disease that frequently involves the human central nervous system (CNS) and current treatment options are limited. Oxfendazole, a veterinary medicine belonging to the benzimidazole family of anthelmintic drugs, has demonstrated substantial activity against the tissue stages of and has potential to be developed as an effective therapy for neurocysticercosis. To accelerate the transition of oxfendazole from veterinary to human use, the pharmacokinetics, safety and tolerability of oxfendazole were evaluated in healthy volunteers in this Phase 1 first-in-human (FIH) study. Read More

Open Forum Infect Dis 2019 Jan 14;6(1):ofy349. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Infectious Diseases Department, CHU de Caen, Caen, France.

Cerebral alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is rare and mostly associated with liver involvement. We report an exceptional case of a 62-year-old man with a hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia harboring a primary cerebral AE mimicking neurocysticercosis with >100 cerebral lesions and without liver involvement. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2019 Feb;100(2):323-326

Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas.

Mechanisms implicated in the association between neurocysticercosis (NCC) and cognitive impairment remain unknown. Atahualpa residents aged ≥ 40 years with calcified NCC were identified as case patients and paired 1:1 to age- and gender-matched controls. The selection process generated 79 pairs. Read More

Ann Afr Med 2019 Jan-Mar;18(1):51-53

Department of General Medicine, Saveetha Medical College, Saveetha University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

Cysticercosis is a major public health problem, particularly in developing countries. It is caused by the larvae of the cestode Taenia solium (pork tapeworm). It usually presents as a solitary lesion in the muscle or brain (neurocysticercosis). Read More

Clin Infect Dis 2019 Feb 2. Epub 2019 Feb 2.

School of Public Health and Administration (GA, AGL), Department of Microbiology, School of Sciences and Center for Global Health (JAB, HHG), Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.

Background: Albendazole is the drug of choice for the treatment of parenchymal neurocysticercosis, although its efficacy is suboptimal. Plasma levels of albendazole sulfoxide (ASOX), the active metabolite of albendazole, are highly variable among patients. We hypothesized that high ASOX plasma levels during albendazole therapy may be associated with an increased antiparasitic efficacy. Read More

Infect Dis Clin North Am 2019 Mar;33(1):153-168

Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. Electronic address:

Neurocysticercosis is an infection of the central nervous system by the larval stage of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium. The combination of modern diagnostic tests, use of antiparasitic drugs, improved anti-inflammatory treatments, and minimally invasive neurosurgery has improved outcomes in patients with neurocysticercosis. This parasitic infection is complex in both the clinical presentation and the treatment approach, which depends on the number of cysts, location in the brain, stage of degeneration, and host inflammatory response. Read More

Ann Indian Acad Neurol 2019 Jan-Mar;22(1):67-72

Department of Biostatistics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Background And Purpose: Differentiating between neurocysticercosis (NCC) and neurotuberculosis has serious therapeutic implications and this distinction relies heavily on neuroimaging. Few case reports discuss the conglomeration of ring-enhancing lesions (RELs) in patients with solitary NCC. The aim of our study is to describe the imaging findings of conglomerate RELs in a cohort of patients with solitary NCC, emphasizing the frequency of conglomeration. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Jan 23. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Background: Poor sanitation, hygiene and archaic cooking practises have lead to Neurocysticercosis being endemic in India. Apart from a cortical location that leads to seizures, intraventricular NCC's can present with hydrocephalus and sudden deterioration in sensorium. Consequently, endoscopic excision plays an important role in their treatment as a dialted ventricle offers a minimally invasive and less trauamatic route to the pathology. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019 01 24;13(1):e0007101. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Souro SANOU, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

Background: Individuals diagnosed with neurocysticercosis often present with epilepsy and sometimes with progressively worsening severe chronic headaches (WSCH). While cross-sectional associations between seropositivity to cysticercal antigens and epilepsy have been reported, few large scale studies have been conducted in West Africa and none have measured the association between seropositivity to cysticercal antigens and headaches. This study aimed at filling these knowledge gaps by estimating the strength of the cross-sectional association between seropositivity to cysticercal antigens and the prevalence of epilepsy and WSCH in 60 villages of Burkina Faso, West Africa. Read More

J Neurovirol 2019 Jan 23. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.

The presence of eosinophils in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) should always be considered abnormal. This study aimed to evaluate the causes of eosinophils in the CSF of patients who are HIV positive and HIV negative. This is the first study of eosinophils in the CSF of patients who are HIV-positive. Read More

Parasite Epidemiol Control 2019 Feb 19;4:e00082. Epub 2018 Dec 19.

Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.

The taeniosis/cysticercosis neglected zoonotic disease complex is caused by , and is associated with significant economic and public health impacts. This paper reviews the current knowledge on in Zambia and the control strategies already studied, covering almost 20 years of research, and explores the way forward. Studies on occurrence of porcine cysticercosis indicated very high prevalences, ranging from 15 to 34% based on detection of circulating antigens, and of 46% to 68% based on full carcass dissection in slaughter age pigs. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019 01 17;13(1):e0007109. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States of America.

Background: Epilepsy and progressively worsening severe chronic headaches (WSCH) are the two most common clinical manifestations of neurocysticercosis, a form of cysticercosis. Most community-based studies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) use a two-step approach (questionnaire and confirmation) to estimate the prevalence of these neurological disorders and neurocysticercosis. Few validate the questionnaire in the field or account for the imperfect nature of the screening questionnaire and the fact that only those who screen positive have the opportunity to be confirmed. Read More

Brain Pathol 2019 Jan 13. Epub 2019 Jan 13.

School of Medicine, Universidad Espíritu Santo - Ecuador, Samborondón, Ecuador.

Brain Pathol 2019 Jan 13. Epub 2019 Jan 13.

Infectious Diseases Laboratory Research-LID, Faculty of Science and Philosophy, Alberto Cazorla Talleri, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú.

Neurosurg Focus 2019 Jan;46(1):E12

OBJECTIVEAlthough parasitic infections are endemic to parts of the developing world and are more common in areas with developing economies and poor sanitary conditions, rare cases may occur in developed regions of the world.METHODSArticles eligible for the authors' literature review were initially searched using PubMed with the phrases "parasitic infections" and "spine." After the authors developed a list of parasites associated with spinal cord infections from the initial search, they expanded it to include individual diagnoses, using search terms including "neurocysticercosis," "schistosomiasis," "echinococcosis," and "toxoplasmosis. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2019 Jan 2. Epub 2019 Jan 2.

Infectious Disease Division, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2019 Jan 2. Epub 2019 Jan 2.

Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.

Manifestations of neurocysticercosis (NCC) are primarily due to host inflammatory responses directed at drug-damaged or naturally degenerating metacestodes (cysts) of the tapeworm . Prolonged high-dose corticosteroids are frequently required to control this inflammation in complicated disease, often causing severe side effects. Studies evaluating alternatives to corticosteroids are lacking. Read More

J Orthop Case Rep 2018 May-Jun;8(3):89-91

Department of Pathology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. Manipal Academy Of Higher Education Manipal, Karnataka, India.

Introduction: Cysticercosis is more commonly seen in developing countries like India caused by larval stage of Taenia solium. Neurocysticercosis is more commonly seen than isolated muscle involvement. There are very few sporadic cases of isolated biceps muscle involvement, but most of them are managed medically. Read More

Zoonoses Public Health 2019 02 21;66(1):140-154. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

Department of Community and Public Health, Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya.

Background: The aim of this review was to establish the current epidemiology of taeniosis, cysticercosis and trichinellosis among humans and animals in Iran by carrying out a comprehensive assessment of published articles reporting on these foodborne zoonotic diseases across the country.

Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline was used in the search for relevant published articles reporting on cysticercosis, taeniosis and trichinellosis in Iran using a number of appropriate key words. The search was conducted through PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, SpringerLink, SCOPUS, WHOLIS, FAO and CDC. Read More

Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2018 Nov;76(11):783-790

NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom.

Objective: Neurocysticercosis is one of the most common risk factors for epilepsy but its association with drug-resistant epilepsy remains uncertain. Conjectures of an association with drug-resistant epilepsy have been fueled by reports of an association between calcific neurocysticercosis lesions (CNL) and hippocampal sclerosis (HS) from specialized epilepsy centers in Taenia solium-endemic regions.

Methods: The debate arising from these reports is whether the association is causal. Read More

Acta Trop 2019 Feb 13;190:361-364. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Tropical Pathology and Public Health Institute, Federal University of Goias, Rua 235, s/n, Setor Leste Universitário, CEP: 74605-050, Goiás, Brazil. Electronic address:

Neurocysticercosis is the most frequent helminthiasis of the central nervous system and is caused by the presence of Taenia solium cysticerci. Nitazoxanide (NTZ) is an antifolate containing the pyrrolopyrimidine-based nucleus that exerts its antiprotozoal activity due to interference with the pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR) enzyme which is essential to anaerobic energy metabolism. The aim of this work was to determine the effect of NTZ on the energetic metabolism of Taenia crassiceps cysticerci intracranially inoculated BALB /c mice. Read More

J Clin Imaging Sci 2018 15;8:43. Epub 2018 Nov 15.

Department of Radiodiagnosis, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

Introduction: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the current imaging tool of choice in the investigation of patients with seizures. The advent of high-resolution MRI with a dedicated seizure protocol has significantly increased the chances of identifying a cause, resulting in a positive clinical impact on the management of these patients.

Aims: The aims of this study were to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of standard MRI, identify whether there is an increase in the diagnostic yield with the addition of dedicated seizure protocol, and compare the diagnostic yields of MRI and electroencephalogram (EEG) individually and in combination. Read More

BMC Res Notes 2018 Dec 13;11(1):890. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Zoology and Wildlife Conservation, University of Dar es Salaam, P.O. Box 35064, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the extent and health burden of neurocysticercosis in the general community of the Mbulu district, northern Tanzania. About 1051 randomly select participants were screened for human cysticercosis. The Cysticercus Western Blot IgG and Computed Tomography scan were used to detect infection by cysticerci. Read More

Heliyon 2018 Dec 1;4(12):e00991. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

Instituto de Investigación en Salud Pública y Zoonosis, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.

The role of immunologic tests in the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis (NC) is controversial and few studies have made comparisons among them. The objective of this study was to compare immunological tests in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for the diagnosis of NC. We conducted a case-control study in Cuenca, Ecuador, enrolling patients with NC (N = 24) and matching them with other neurosurgical patients (N = 18). Read More

Ann Indian Acad Neurol 2018 Oct-Dec;21(4):300-303

Department of Pediatrics, Pt B D Sharma Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India.

Background: Neurocysticercosis (NCC) produces a progressive organic brain damage by altering brain function with alterations in memory, difficulties in learning, and behavioral changes. The present study was designed to compare the cognitive and behavioral profile of school-going children aged 6-14 years with newly diagnosed NCC with their age-matched controls.

Materials And Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among children aged 6-14 years with newly (<7 days) diagnosed NCC. Read More

Ann Indian Acad Neurol 2018 Oct-Dec;21(4):263-269

Department of Neurology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, Punjab, India.

Objectives: Many community-based and hospital-based studies across the world have yielded contradictory results regarding association of positive serology and epilepsy. The present study was planned to analyze disease burden of epilepsy in rural community of North India and its association with exposure to in this part of the world.

Methods: A door-to-door screening survey was carried out in the rural community using a validated questionnaire for epilepsy by trained field workers, which was finally confirmed by trained neurologists. Read More

Acta Trop 2019 Feb 7;190:329-338. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol, BS40 5DU, United Kingdom; School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 97, Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, United Kingdom.

Human and porcine cysticercosis is endemic in West Africa, where epilepsy is relatively common, but rarely reported due to fear of stigmatization. Neurocysticercosis, caused by Taenia solium, tends to affect the poor in developing countries and control is hampered by inadequate infrastructure and financial resources coupled with lack of adequate information about its significance and distribution. The risk factors for human cysticercosis are closely associated with the characteristics of smallholder or backyard pig farming systems prevalent in this region. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2019 Feb;100(2):327-329

W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.

Neurocysticercosis (NCC), caused by larvae that reside in the central nervous system, results in serious public health and medical issues in many regions of the world. Current diagnosis of NCC is complex requiring both serology and costly neuroimaging of parasitic cysts in the brain. This diagnostic pipeline can be problematic in resource-constrained settings. Read More

Front Immunol 2018 16;9:2652. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

Unidad de Neuroinflamación, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, UNAM/ Facultad de Medicina UNAM / Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Ciudad de México, Mexico.

Neurol India 2018 Nov-Dec;66(6):1667-1671

Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Purpose: To evaluate the role of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in the differentiation of neoplastic and non-neoplastic brain lesions, on the basis of DTI parameters, fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) from the lesion (L) and the perilesional edema (PE).

Material And Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed 25 neoplastic [10 high grade gliomas (HGG), 11 metastases, 4 low grade glioma (LGG)] and 25 non-neoplastic [13 tuberculomas and 12 neurocysticercosis (NCC)] brain lesions underwent an MRI, including the DTI sequences. Fractional anisotropy from the lesion (FAL) and mean diffusivity from the lesion (MDL), as well as fractional anisotropy from the perilesional edema (FAPE), and mean diffusivity from the perilesional edema (MDPE) were calculated and quantified using region of interest (ROI) based assessment on DTI derived FA and MD parametric maps. Read More

Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2019 Jan 10;17(1):51-56. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

e Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , MD , USA.

Introduction: Oxfendazole (methyl [5-(phenylsulphinyl)-1H benzimidazole-2-yl] carbamate) has a particularly long metabolic half-life in ruminants, and its metabolite fenbendazole also has anthelminthic action. A very limited number of drugs are available for the treatment of some zoonotic helminth infections, such as neurocysticercosis and echinococcosis. More recent work has expanded oxfendazole's nonclinical safety profile and demonstrated its safety and bioavailability in healthy human volunteers, thus advancing the possibility of a new and greatly needed option for antiparasitic treatment of geohelminths and tissue parasites. Read More

Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2018 Nov-Dec;51(6):861-863

Division of Dermatology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.

Cysticercosis is caused by the hematogenous dissemination of the larval form (cysticercus) of Taenia solium. It can affect any organ or tissue in the body but commonly affects the subcutaneous tissue, central nervous system, eyes, and skeletal muscle. Skin lesions can assist as a marker in the diagnosis of asymptomatic neurocysticercosis in endemic areas. Read More

Curr Opin Neurol 2019 Feb;32(1):43-48

Serviço de Neurologia, Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais/EBSERH.

Purpose Of Review: To address the important relationships between stroke and infection, focusing on the most frequent infections found in low-income and middle-income countries.

Recent Findings: Stroke is one of the leading causes of mortality and disability worldwide, with a great proportion of the stroke burden occurring in low-income and middle-income countries. Infectious diseases are still a great health problem in developing countries and it is possible that the proportion of infection-related strokes is greater in these nations. Read More

Neuroophthalmology 2018 Oct 9;42(5):316-317. Epub 2018 Jan 9.

Department of Neurology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.

Lesions of the central nucleus of the third cranial nerve in midbrain leads to bilateral ptosis. We present a case of a 14 year old boy, who was found to have B/L non-correctable ptosis and medial rectus palsy. There was a ring enhancing lesion in the midbrain in contrast MRI which resolved with treatment. Read More

J Clin Pharmacol 2018 Nov 26. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Neuroinflammation Unit, IIBM-UNAM/INNN/Facultad de Medicina- UNAM, Ciudad de México, México.

Extraparenchymal neurocysticercosis is the most severe form of cysticercosis, and response to treatment is suboptimal. We sought to determine how demographic and clinical characteristics and albendazole sulfoxide concentrations were related to cysticidal treatment response. We conducted a longitudinal study of 31 participants with extraparenchymal vesicular parasites who received the same treatment, albendazole 30 mg/kg/day for 10 days with dexamethasone 0. Read More

Seizure 2018 Dec 13;63:93-101. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Neglected Tropical Diseases Unit, Ministry of Health, Juba, South Sudan. Electronic address:

Purpose: To determine the prevalence and incidence of epilepsy in an onchocerciasis endemic region of South Sudan.

Methods: In May 2018, a door-to-door household survey was conducted in 8 study sites in an onchocerciasis endemic area in Maridi County.

Results: A total of 2511 households agreed to participate in the study, corresponding to 17,652 individuals. Read More

J Neurol Surg B Skull Base 2018 Dec 25;79(Suppl 5):S420-S421. Epub 2018 Sep 25.

Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neurosciences Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States.

The case described in this video involved a 38-year-old man, who presented with a 4-week history of worsening acute-onset headache, nausea, double vision, and vertigo. On examination, he had impaired tandem gait and diplopia on right horizontal gaze. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a hyperdense lesion of the right cerebellopontine angle. Read More

Am J Case Rep 2018 Nov 20;19:1378-1381. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School at UT Health, Houston, TX, USA.

BACKGROUND Neurocysticercosis is a Taenia solium infection which utilizes the tapeworm as a vector and humans as a definitive host and causes development of cystic lesions in the central nervous system. The current established medical therapy is albendazole with praziquantel as a secondary agent, but results can be mixed depending on each patient and their form of neurocysticercosis. CASE REPORT We present a case pertaining to a young female patient diagnosed with single parenchymal neurocysticercosis based on clinical and diagnostic findings. Read More

Theor Biol Med Model 2018 11 19;15(1):18. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Department of Immunology, Biomedical Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, CDMX, Mexico.

Background: Taenia solium is the aetiological agent of human taeniasis, pig cysticercosis and human neurocysticercosis, which are serious public health problems, especially in developing countries.

Methods: A mathematical model of the transmission dynamics of taeniasis-cysticercosis is formulated. The model consists of a coupled system of differential equations, which are density-dependent equations for describing the flow of the parasite through the life cycle. Read More

Parasitology 2018 Nov 15:1-10. Epub 2018 Nov 15.

Division of Cell Biology, Department of Human Biology,Neuroscience Institute and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town,Anzio Road,Observatory, Cape Town,Western Cape 7935,South Africa.

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) occurs following brain infection by larvae of the cestode Taenia solium. It is the leading cause of preventable epilepsy worldwide and therefore constitutes a critical health challenge with significant global relevance. Despite this, much is still unknown about many key pathogenic aspects of the disease, including how cerebral infection with T. Read More

Front Neurol 2018 30;9:891. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

There is limited detailed clinical information for patients with epilepsy in Tibet. This study sought to provide data about the clinical features of epilepsy in the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture to improve strategies for epilepsy prevention and management in this region. We reviewed the clinical record of patients with epilepsy in the Neurology Department, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture People's Hospital and compared the clinical features and compared it with control, from West China Hospital in Chengdu. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Nov 3;2018. Epub 2018 Nov 3.

Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Surg Neurol Int 2018 3;9:201. Epub 2018 Oct 3.

Department of Neurosurgery, Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte, Lisboa, Portugal.

Background: Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most common helminthic disease of the nervous system in humans and it is caused by the larvae of the pork tapeworm, . We present a case of microsurgical removal of a fourth ventricle NCC cyst combined with an endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) to treat hydrocephalus.

Case Description: A 36-year-old woman presented to the emergency room with headache and decreased visual acuity over the last 4 months. Read More

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2019 Feb;113(2):101-104

Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas 'Dr. Francisco J. Triana-Alonso' Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Edo. Aragua. Universidad de Carabobo, Venezuela.

Background: Previously we reported the use of a monoclonal antibody-based (HP10) antigen (Ag) detection lateral flow assay (LFA) for the diagnosis of extraparenchymal neurocysticercosis (EP-NCC). The assay performed well when used with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples but not with their paired serum samples, due to false-positive reactions in some known negative control cases.

Methods: Our novel modification involves pretreatment of serum samples using a combination of sodium deoxycholate and dithiothreitol. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Oct 30;2018. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Neuroradiology 2018 Oct 30. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Department of Pediatrics, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.

Purpose: Tuberculoma and neurocysticercosis (NCC) are two of the most common intracranial infections in developing countries and cause of seizures or focal neurological deficit. They often present on neuroimaging as ring-enhancing lesions, and in absence of typical imaging features, can cause significant diagnostic dilemma. Differentiation is extremely important to avoid empirical exposure to anti-tubercular treatment or nonspecific treatment causing disease progression. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 Oct 30;11(1):569. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.

Background: Taenia solium and Taenia saginata are food-borne parasites of global importance. In eastern Europe only fragmented information is available on the epidemiology of these zoonotic parasites in humans and animal populations. In particular for T. Read More