Infectious Diseases of the Brain and Spine: Parasitic and Other Atypical Transmissible Diseases.

Atypical infections of the brain and spine caused by parasites occur in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed hosts, related to exposure and more prevalently in endemic regions. In the United States, the most common parasitic infections that lead to central nervous system manifestations include cysticercosis, echinococcosis, and toxoplasmosis, with toxoplasmosis being the most common opportunistic infection affecting patients with advanced HIV/AIDS. Another rare but devastating transmittable disease is prion disease, which causes rapidly progressive spongiform encephalopathies.

Pseudotumor - Cysticercosis of the Flexor Digitorum Profundus Mimicking Volkmanns Contracture.

Introduction: Cysticercosis leads to a cyst formation known to occur due to the Taenia solium parasite. Patients normally present with seeding and formation of the cysts in the central nervous system (CNS) as neurocysticercosis (NCC). Intramuscular cysts are rare presentations and are mostly incidental findings in NCC patients.

Neurocysticercosis-related seizures: Imaging biomarkers.

Neurocysticercosis (NCC)-a parasitic CNS infection endemic to developing nations-has been called the leading global cause of acquired epilepsy yet remains understudied. It is currently unknown why a large proportion of patients develop recurrent seizures, often following the presentation of acute seizures. Furthermore, the presentation of NCC is heterogenous and the features that predispose to the development of an epileptogenic state remain uncertain.

Endoscopic endonasal surgery for massive subarachnoid neurocysticercosis: illustrative case.

Background: Subarachnoid neurocysticercosis (NCC) is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Conventional transcranial approaches and transventricular endoscopy have been previously reported for extraparenchymal NCC and ventricular NCC, respectively. By October 2019, endonasal endoscopic approaches had not been used for the treatment of NCC.

Porcine model of neurocysticercosis by intracarotid injection of Taenia solium oncospheres: Dose assessment, infection outcomes and serological responses.

Background: Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the infection of the human central nervous system (CNS) by Taenia solium larvae that cause significant neurological morbidity. Studies on NCC pathophysiology, host-parasite interactions or therapeutic agents are limited by the lack of suitable animal models. We have previously reported that carotid injection of activated T.

Taenia multiceps coenurosis: a review.

Taenia multiceps is a taeniid cestode that inhabits the small intestines of both wild and domestic carnivores. The larval stage, Coenurus cerebralis, is typically found in the central nervous system (CNS) of a wide range of livestock and, to a lesser extent, in the extra-cerebral tissues of sheep and goats. This review covers all aspects of the life cycle of T.

A Rare Case of Cysticercosis Involving the Whole Spinal Canal.

Background: Cysticercosis is the commonest parasitic disease to affect the central nervous system (CNS). However, cysticercosis affecting the spine is extremely rare. We reported a rare case of cysticercosis involving the whole spinal canal in China.

Next-generation sequencing combined with serological tests based pathogen analysis for a neurocysticercosis patient with a 20-year history:a case report.

Background: Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most common helminthic infection of the central nervous system (CNS) caused by the larval stage of Taenia solium. Accurate and early diagnosis of NCC remains challenging due to its heterogeneous clinical manifestations, neuroimaging deficits, variable sensitivity, and specificity of serological tests. Next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based pathogen analysis in patient's cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with NCC infection has recently been reported indicating its diagnostic efficacy.

Psychiatric Disorders of Neurocysticercosis: Narrative Review.

Neurocysticercosis, the most common type of neuroparasitosis, is a condition in which the central nervous system (CNS) is infested with the pork tapeworm cysticercosis' larvae. Neurocysticercosis is the most widespread parasitic CNS disease worldwide, affecting more than 50 million individuals. As neurocysticercosis is prevalent in developing countries, the growing number of migrants and travelers increases prevalence in developed countries.

Neuroradiology of infectious diseases.

Purpose Of Review: Early diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) infections is crucial given high morbidity and mortality. Neuroimaging in CNS infections is widely used to aid in the diagnosis, treatment and to assess the response to antibiotic and neurosurgical interventions.

Recent Findings: The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) guidelines have clear recommendations for obtaining a computerized tomography of the head (CTH) prior to lumbar puncture (LP) in suspected meningitis.

Brain Infection in Pigs is Not Associated with Visible Lesions on Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Human exposure to spp. is very frequent, and its larvae can cross the blood-brain barrier and invade the central nervous system (CNS), causing neurotoxocariasis. We aimed to establish a neurotoxocariasis animal model in pigs confirmed by necropsy.

Neurocysticercosis.

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is one of the common parasitic central nervous system (CNS) infections. Improperly cooked pork and eggs of the tapeworm Taenia solium, entering the body through the feco-oral route, are the common sources of its infection. Affected person may remain asymptomatic for long periods and can present with a variety of neurological manifestations, including focal neurological deficits and generalized seizures.

First case of human neurocoenurosis caused by Taenia serialis: A case report.

Human coenurosis is caused by the larval stages of Taenia species, mainly Taenia multiceps and Taenia serialis. T. multiceps has been reported to cause human central nervous system (CNS) infections, but no CNS case caused by T.

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.

[Intracranial cystic lesions].

Clinical Problem: Intracerebral cysts are common findings in imaging of the neurocranium and are not always clinically significant. The pathological spectrum of intracerebral cysts is, however, very broad and in addition to incidental findings includes developmental disorders, malformation tumors, primary and secondary neoplasms and infectious etiologies, such as cerebral abscess formation, cysticercosis or residuals after congenital cytomegalovirus infections. Intracerebral cystic defects may be caused by inflammatory central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as multiple sclerosis as well as by mitochondriopathies, leukodystrophy, electrolyte disturbances or osmotic demyelination syndrome or brain infarctions, e.

Antibody Banding Patterns of the Enzyme-Linked Immunoelectrotransfer Blot and Brain Imaging Findings in Patients With Neurocysticercosis.

Background: The enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) assay is the reference serological test for neurocysticercosis (NCC). A positive result on EITB does not always correlate with the presence of active infections in the central nervous system (CNS), and patients with a single viable brain cyst may be EITB negative. Nonetheless, EITB antibody banding patterns appears to be related with the expression of 3 protein families of Taenia solium, and in turn with the characteristics of NCC in the CNS (type, stage, and burden of viable cysts).

Temporalis cysticerci - A diagnostic dilemma and review of literature.

Cysticercosis is a systemic parasitic infestation caused by ingesting the eggs of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. The central nervous system (CNS) is the most important primary site of infection and disease can present with solitary or multiple space-occupying lesion. Other organs like subcutaneous tissues, muscles, heart, liver, lungs, and peritoneum are more frequently affected but maxillofacial region involvement is rare.

De novo cystic brain lesions mimicking neurocysticercosis in ALK-positive lung cancer.

Cystic brain metastases (CBM) have been recently reported in a minority of patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). All previously reported ALK-positive CBM developed during crizotinib treatment and were often asymptomatic and indolent, even without CNS-directed therapy. Thus, crizotinib was suggested as an etiologic agent for the development of CBM.

Time trend of neurocysticercosis in children with seizures in a tertiary hospital of western Nepal.

Introduction: Neurocysticercosis is a common cause of seizure disorders in children of Western Nepal. The clinical presentation is variable. The incidence varies depending on the food habits and ethnicity of the population.

Multiple calcifying pseudoneoplasms of the neuraxis (MCAPNON): Distinct entity, CAPNON variant, or old neurocysticercosis?

We report a case of multiple calcifying pseudoneoplasms of the neuraxis (MCAPNON) with associated multifocal perivascular microcalcifications and vascular calcinosis. Calcifying pseudoneoplasm of the neuraxis (CAPNON) is a very rare condition that may arise in extra-axial and occasionally, in intra-axial locations. Moreover, it is nearly always a solitary mass with only one case with two lesions reported.

Cysticercosis of Soleus muscle presenting as isolated calf pain.

CNS is the most common site of involvement by cysticercosis. Symptomatic involvement of isolated skeletal muscle by solitary cysticercosis cyst is extremely rare. We report a rare and unusual case of cysticercosis presenting as acute calf pain, which is a diagnostic challenge.

Reversible dementia due to neurocysticercosis: Improvement of the racemose type with antihistamines.

Infection of the human central nervous system (CNS) by the larvae of , termed neurocysticercosis (NCC), is endemic in most developing countries, where it is a major cause of acquired seizures and other neurological morbidity, including neuropsychiatric symptoms. However, despite its frequent manifestation, some findings, such as cognitive impairment and dementia, remain poorly understood. Less commonly, NCC may affect the ventricular system and subarachnoid spaces and this form is known as extraparenchymal neurocysticercosis.

Parasitoses with central nervous system involvement.

Most of the parasitoses manifest systemically, including the central nervous system (CNS). Among the most prevalent parasitoses in Central Europe (cysticercosis, toxocarosis, echinococcosis, and toxoplasmosis), cerebral involvement is well recognized and part of the clinical presentation, which cannot be neglected. CNS involvement results from invasion of larvae of these parasites via the blood stream or by direct migration into the CNS.

Immune responses to viable and degenerative metacestodes of Taenia solium in naturally infected swine.

Neurocysticercosis, caused by the larvae of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium, is the most common helminth infection of the CNS in humans worldwide. There is no existing animal model of neurocysticercosis that resembles human infection. To overcome this limitation, swine (the natural intermediate host of the parasite) may be a suitable model.