Líquido cefalorraqueano e neurocisticercose: aspectos evolutivos da resposta inflamatória celular

Taenia antigens detection in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with neurocysticercosis and its relationship with clinical activity of the disease

OBJECTIVE: (1) To determine the concentration of Taenia antigens in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with neurocysticercosis (NC); (2) to establish its relationship with clinical activity of the disease and with classical variables of CSF. METHOD: A CSF examination was performed in one sample from 36 patients with definitive diagnosis of NC, including: quantitative and cytomorphological study, biochemical tests, immunological reactions for cysticercosis and Taenia antigens. The antibodies for antigens detection were obtained from the larval form of Taenia crassiceps, ORF strain. After intraperitoneal passage through female mice, a group of rabbits was immunized with vesicular fluid antigens. RESULTS: The Taenia antigen was detected in CSF from 17 patients (47.2%), especially in those patients with epileptic symptoms in the last 12 months. CONCLUSION: Taenia antigens presence in CSF have significant relationship with clinically active forms of NC, being a more sensitive marker than the classic eosinophil presence.

Antigen-specific suppression of cultured lymphocytes from patients with neurocysticercosis

The biological parasite-host interactions involved in neurocysticercosis (NC) are of a complex nature. A lymphoproliferation assay was performed using mononuclear cells from 11 patients with NC, who were classified according to the alterations obtained by imaging examinations. Antigen extracts from the membrane and/or scolex of Taenia solium and from the vesicular fluid of Taenia crassiceps were used. Mononuclear cells from patients with NC showed antigen-specific suppression when compared with a control group. The patients presenting calcified cysts showed higher suppression when compared with patients in the active phase of disease. The antigen in the vesicular fluid of T. crassiceps seems to play a suppressor role in vitro, completely inhibiting cell proliferation induced by the mitogens phytohaemagglutinin, concanavalin A and pokeweed mitogen.

Epidemiology of neurocysticercosis in Brazil

A revision of literature was done with the objective of tracing an epidemiologic profile of neurocysticercosis (NCC) in Brazil. The prevalence was 0.12-9% in autopsies. The frequency was 0.03-7.5% in clinical series and 0.68-5.2% in seroepidemiological studies. The disease corresponds to 0.08-2.5% of admissions to general hospitals. Patient origin was rural in 30-63% of cases. The most involved age range (64-100%) was 11 to 60 years, with a predominance (22-67%) between 21 and 40 years. The male sex was the most affected (51-80%). In the severe forms there was a predominance of urban origin (53-62%) and of the female sex (53-75%). The period of hospitalization ranges from 1 to 254 days and 33 to 50% of patients suffer 1.7 +/- 1.4 admissions. The clinical picture was variable, with a predominance of epileptic syndrome (22-92%) and intracranial hypertension (19-89%). Psychiatric manifestations were associated in 9-23% of patients. Lethality was 0.29% in terms of all diseases in general and 4.8-25.9% in terms of neurologic diseases. The asymptomatic form was detected in 6% of patients in clinical series and in 48.5% of case from autopsies. The racemose form and ventricular localization also was observed as asymptomatic form. Among the patients with cutaneous cysticercosis 65% of them showed neurologic manifestations.

[Neurocysticercosis in Rio Grande do Norte before and after computed tomography: report of a case]

The authors emphasize the importance of computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis. Before CT, neurocysticercosis was considered rare in the Northeast Brazil. They reviewed fifteen cases diagnosed as neurocysticercosis by CT at the Institute of Radiology, in Natal. A case of neurocysticercosis diagnosed by CT and CSF is reported.

Cysticercosis of the central nervous system and cerebrospinal fluid. Immunodiagnosis of 1573 patients in 63 years (1929-1992)

Attention given to prophylaxis of neurocysticercosis (NC) is far beyond minimal needs among several regions of the in-development world, and for this reason incidence of the disease persists high among them. This investigation was carried out to show the extent of the problem by analysing the incidence of NC in a region of Brazil (São Paulo). CSF immunodiagnosis of NC by detecting antibodies to Cysticercus cellulosae in a neurodiagnostics laboratory is evaluated for this purpose. Cases studied in a 63-year period (1929-1992) are reviewed. Total cases in this period is 139,000, and for 1,573 (1.13%) diagnosis is NC. Special characteristics were not detected for colour and sex prevalence. Age bracket prevalence is from 21 to 40 years old (55.3%) high rates occurring for women between 21 to 30 years old, and for men between 31 to 40. Cases distribution in five consecutive decades (1942-1991) shows no decreasing tendency: average incidence is 1% for the 50 years, and it is over this average for the last three decades. Data confirm that incidence continues expressively high throughout the 50 years covered by this study.

Neurocysticercosis: an epidemiological survey in two small rural communities

The authors describe the epidemiological findings related to human taeniasis and cysticercosis, and swine cysticercosis in two small rural communities, Postinho (P) and Tigre (T), of South Brazil. The prevalence of epilepsy was 2.04% (P) and 2.25% (T). The prevalence of neurocysticercosis was 0.47% (P) and 0.93% (T), and prevalence of swine cysticercosis was 12.8% (P) and 27.8% (T). Taenia sp. infestation was detected in 4.3% (P) and 4.6% (T) of stool examinations. The hyperendemic human taeniasis and cysticercosis and swine cysticercosis seems to be related to poor hygienic habits of the population, and the free access to human excreta by the pigs.

Computed tomography in neurocysticercosis: a 10-year long evolution analysis of 100 patients with an appraisal of a new classification

Three hundred and fifty seven computed tomography (CT) from 100 different patients with neurocysticercosis (NC) were studied between 1979 and 1988. All patients were treated with praziquantel (PZQ). A new classification attempting to recognize the CT evolution profile in NC as well as assigning a possible link between CT findings and biological conditions of cysts is evaluated. It was possible to conclude that: intact cysts remain unchanged in consecutive CTs by 11 months and exhibit signs of degeneration in about 18 months after PZQ drug therapy; degenerating cysts can be detected by 10.5 months, disappear in 11 months and become nodular calcifications in about 25 months. Therefore, a time period of at least 36 months can be estimated for the complete evolution profile of cysts in the brain parenchyma.

[Neurocysticercosis in the State of Espiríto Santo, Brazil: evaluation of 45 cases]

We analyzed the clinical course, laboratory tests, evolution, and epidemiological features of 45 patients with the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis (NC) referred to Neurology Service of Hospital Cassiano Antonio Moraes, Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo, from January 1987 to January 1989. This study represents the first survey of that pathology in the State of Espirito Santo, and has led us to conclude that neurocysticercosis is endemic in this part of the country. The diagnosis was based on clinical features, CSF abnormalities proper to NC and cranial CT scans to search for cysts, calcifications and ventricular abnormalities. The diagnosis of NC was corroborated by the finding of at least two of these criteria. No statistical differences were found for sex and/or age distribution. Intracranial hypertension and epilepsy were among the most common clinical symptoms. The treatment was adequate to each patient, and varied from symptomatics to specifics. Praziquantel (PZQ), as well as surgery when indicated (ventricular-peritoneal shunt and/or cysts resection) were used. No statistical differences were found in the follow-up of the patients who were under PZQ alone and those who used PZQ plus steroids (associated). Surgery was of great benefit for those patients with intraventricular NC and severe intracranial hypertension. All patients were under close observation on periodical clinical visits during the time of this study, and we have demonstrated that neurocysticercosis is a strongly recurrent endemic pathology.

[Neurocysticercosis: incidence in the state of Rio de Janeiro]

One hundred patients with neurocysticercosis born and residents in Rio de Janeiro State were studied from September 1981 to December 1989. The approximate incidence rate of one case per month shows that the disease is not rare in this State of Brazil.