Intraocular Cysticercosis – A Differential Diagnosis for Leukocoria

ABSTRACT

Cysticercosis is a systemic parasitic disease caused by the larval form of cestode Taenia solium. It has a worldwide distribution and is potentially harmful with variable clinical manifestations. The most commonly involved sites include eye, brain, bladder wall and heart. Ocular cysticercosis can be extraocular or intraocular and may present with varied clinical symptoms. We report the condition in a 10-year old female child who presented with redness and painful diminution of vision in right eye for 5 days, where in cysticercosis cellulosae cyst was found intraocular within the vitreous body. Multiple sites of involvement were noted including Central Nervous System, lungs and spleen. This case is reported to highlight the prime importance of systemic evaluation of a patient of ocular cysticercosis, relative rarity of this condition these days and young age of the patient.