[Neurocysticercosis in Spain. Apropos 4 cases seen in immigrant patients from endemic countries]

Abstract

Neurocysticercosis is a helminthiasis of the central nervous system produced by the encysted larvae of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium. We report 4 cases of neurocysticercosis observed in immigrants from endemic areas (India and Latin America). Three of the patients were diagnosed because of new onset of seizures, all of the no received anthelmintic therapy with favourable outcome. The fourth case was a form known as racemose cysticercosis. She was admitted because of CNS sensorial symptoms with later development of severe intracranial hypertension that required surgical treatment. All the cases had a positive result in the ELISA test for cysticercosis. In only one patient chronic epilepsy persisted thus needing long-term anticonvulsant therapy as a sequelae. Our report helps to familiarize clinicians with the characteristic radiological findings from cysticercosis and em s the fact that epidemiological suspicion and serological data are usually enough to get the diagnosis and avoid unnecessary probes.