Neurocysticercosis: clinical, radiologic, and inflammatory differences between children and adults.

BACKGROUND: Human neurocysticercosis (NC) is caused by Taenia solium larvae lodged in the central nervous system. NC is clinically heterogeneous, ranging from asymptomatic infection to severely incapacitating and even fatal presentations. Although NC affects adults and children, age-related factors have not been thoroughly studied. METHODS: We describe and compare the clinical, radiologic, and inflammatory features of pediatric and adult Mexican NC cases. Two hundred six NC cases (92 pediatric and 114 adult) diagnosed by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging were included. RESULTS: Seizures were more frequent in children (80.4% versus 56.1%), and intracranial hypertension and headaches were more frequent in adults (27.2% versus 15.2% and 35.1% versus 21.7%, respectively). Different causes underlie the different distribution of seizures and intracranial hypertension in the 2 patient groups. In pediatric NC patients, single colloidal parenchymal cysts were the most common radiologic findings compared with adults in whom multiple viable parasites in the basal subarachnoidal cisterns or in the ventricles were seen. Cerebrospinal fluid inflammation was greater in adults than in children (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: This study documents significant age-related radiologic, clinical, and inflammatory differences in Mexican NC patients. Possible causes and relevance of these age-associated findings are discussed.

Interacción del citoesqueleto de E. histolytica con eritrocitos humanos / Interaction of E histolytica cytoskeleton with human red blood cells

La invasión de E histolytica en el colon es medida por el reconocimiento de una lectina en las células intestinales; después de este primer evento los trofozoitos forman úlceras y fagocitan eritrocitos; la destrucción de células de mamíferos por la E histolytica requiere de actina de su citoesqueleto que involucra eventos fagocíticos. En nuestro estudio utilizamos glóbulos rojos humanos para estimular la polimerización de la actina. Para observarla mediante el microscopio de fluorescencia fue necesario lisar la membrana celular con triton X100, fijar con glutaraldehído y teñir con rodamina-phaloidina; después de dos minutos de reto de amibas con eritrocitos, se encontró la máxima polimerización de la actina distribuida en forma de ondas o de anillos. La rodamina- phaloidina es eficaz para unirse a esta proteína y el procedimiento tiene la ventaja de ser menos laborioso que cuando se detecta mediante anticuerpos monoclonales fluorescentes. Mediante el microscopio electrónico de barrido, después de dos minutos de reto, observamos glóbulos rojos adheridos a la membrana de los trofozoitos y, a los cuatro minutos, encontramos la óptima fagocitosis