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Case Reports
. 2024 Mar 16;60(3):489.
doi: 10.3390/medicina60030489.

Silent Intruder: Unusual Presentation of Neurocysticercosis in an HIV-Infected Patient from the Far Northern Brazilian Amazon

Luis E B Galan  1 , Letícia R M Gerolin  1 , Tháilla J M Carvalho  1 , Eloise T M Filardi  2 , Dafnin L S Ramos  1 , Domingos S M Dantas  3 , Roberto C C Carbonell  1 , Felipe A Cerni  4 , Manuela B Pucca  2   4   5
Affiliations
Case Reports

Silent Intruder: Unusual Presentation of Neurocysticercosis in an HIV-Infected Patient from the Far Northern Brazilian Amazon

Luis E B Galan et al. Medicina (Kaunas). .

Abstract

Neurocysticercosis, a parasitic infection of the central nervous system (CNS), is a significant public health issue globally, including in Brazil. This article presents a case report of a 44-year-old male patient residing in the rural area of Roraima, the northernmost region of Brazil within the Amazon Forest. The patient, with chronic HIV infection, acquired the Taenia solium helminth, resulting in neurocysticercosis development. Remarkably, the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis was not initially apparent but emerged through meticulous analysis following a motorcycle accident. The absence of seizures, a common clinical manifestation, complicated the diagnostic process, making it an uncommon case of NCC, which may be related to co-infection. As the patient's condition progressed, multiple complications arose, requiring additional medical attention and interventions. This case underscores the immense challenges faced by healthcare teams in managing neurocysticercosis effectively. It emphasizes the critical need for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to provide optimal care for such complex cases. The study's findings underscore the importance of raising awareness and implementing improved strategies for tackling neurocysticercosis, particularly in regions where it remains a prevalent concern.

Keywords: Amazon; Roraima; extraparenchymal manifestation; neurocysticercosis; parasitic infection; subarachnoid.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) Axial view showing the presence of hydrocephalus with ventricular dilation (red arrow) and edema (blue arrow). (B) Presence of edema (blue arrow) following ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement (green arrow). (C,D) Axial view showing the presence of calcifications in the subarachnoid region: red circle in both images. (E) Axial view demonstrating hydrocephalus with ventricular dilation (red arrow) and the presence of edema (blue arrow). (F) The ventriculoperitoneal shunt catheter (green arrow). (G) Axial view showing a subhepatic collection (blue circle).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Timeline of the case of subarachnoid neurocysticercosis, illustrating the chronological sequence of events. Created with BioRender.com.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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