Experimental Study on Cerebral Cysticercosis

ABSTRACT

Cerebral cysticercosis may produce many complications and various types of tissue reactions to the parenchyma of the brain. The purpose of the present investigation was to study the nature of the reactions of the brain tissue responding to a direct contract with the fluid contents of cysticercus cyst. The experiments were performed in 15 albino rats in which the brain lesions were made on the frontal region by injecting the fluid contents which was obtained from subcutaneous nodules of human patient with cysticercosis. The fluid contents, 0.5 ml for each animal, was injected with 26 gauge hypodermal needle into the left cerebral hemisphere beneath the cortex for experimental group, and same amount of normal saline into the right hemisphere indentical to the region of the left for the control group. Histopathological studies were carried out on the brain lesions at interval of 3 days, 7 days and 15 days following injection of the contents and normal saline. Findings of generalized and regional edema of the brain were observed in varying degrees, which were evident and severe in 3-day and 7-day experimental groups and decreasing in severity thereafter. In the group of normal saline injection, the microscopic findings of the lesions were mainly of a mild inflammatory reactions with scattered fibroblast or condensation of the nervous tissue. In 3-day experimental group, there were pleomorphic infiltration of neutrophils and histiocytes. In 7-day experimental group, there were prominent cellular reaction, gliosis and vascular proliferation more than those observed in 3-day group. In 15-day experimental group, inflammatory cells and gliosis were reduced in number and degree, but definitive granuloma with proliferation of vascular fibroblast in its outer layer was developed.