Cerebral Sparganosis in Children: Epidemiologic and Radiologic Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes: A Report of 9 Cases.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric cerebral sparganosis has been seldom reported. In the current study, we retrospectively reviewed the clinicopathologic records of 9 consecutive pediatric cases of cerebral sparganosis and analyzed their epidemiologic characteristics and clinical outcomes. METHODS: Our cases included 6 boys and 3 girls, all from rural areas, and their median age at diagnosis was 9.4 (range, 5.8-12.9) years. The median duration of symptoms from onset to definite diagnosis was 21 months (range, 1 week to 3.7 years). RESULTS: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that serum anti-sparganosis antibody was positive in 9 of 9 patients and cerebrospinal fluid anti-sparganosis antibody was positive in 4 of 6 patients. Eight patients underwent craniotomy the removal of worms. The patients also received oral praziquantel. They were followed up for 2.2 years to 4.4 years. One patient died, and 8 patients survived. Three cases had poor outcomes whereas the outcome of the remaining 5 cases was satisfactory. CONCLUSIONS: Children are more at risk for sparganosis and cerebral sparganosis may be missed because of unclear epidemiologic history and nonspecific manifestations. Cerebrospinal fluid eosinophil counts and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for anti-sparganosis antibody and computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging scans may be relied on for an early and accurate diagnosis before surgery.

Simultaneous giant hydatid cysts of brain and liver.

While hepatic hydatid cysts are most common in occurrence, intracranial hydatid cyst is less common. Simultaneous presence of both varieties is quite rare and poses a challenge for management in terms of involvement of multidisciplinary team and multiple interventions. An 8-year boy presented with neurological symptoms of a space occupying lesion. There was also hepatomegaly. Radiological investigations revealed giant hydatid cysts involving left cerebral hemisphere and left lobe of liver. Cerebral hydatid cyst was operated first by pediatric neurosurgeons. After 10 days of stabilization period, hepatic lesion was removed by pediatric surgeons. Patient showed uneventful recovery and discharged on oral albendazole for 6 months. There was no recurrence at follow-up.

[Toxocariasis]. / Toxocariasis.

The clinical presentation of toxocariasis, a zoonotic parasitosis transmitted from dogs and cats to humans, can be very diverse, which is one of the reasons why Toxocara-related disease may go unnoticed. This paper gives a brief summary of the various clinical presentations (covert/common toxocariasis, visceral larva migrans, ocular toxocariasis and neurotoxocariasis), diagnostic and differential-diagnostic considerations as well as treatment and prevention. In brief, the diagnosis of human toxocariasis relies mainly on patient data, anamnestic information, symptoms, eosinophil count and total-IgE levels.

Cystic echinococcosis of lung and heart coupled with repeated echinococcosis of brain--a case report.

Echinococcosis is rarely encountered as a cystic brain disease. In this article we are presenting a case of a young woman repeatedly operated due to echinococcosis of lung, heart and brain. Recurrent brain ecchinococcosis developed despite preoperative and postoperative albendazol therapy after first and combined therapy with albendazol and praziquantel after the second brain surgery. The mechanism of recurrence remains unclear (primary infestation, dissemination after spontaneous or intraoperative cyst rupture or new infestation).

Primary hydatidosis of the central nervous system: a retrospective study of 39 Tunisian cases.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze epidemiological characteristics, clinical symptoms, radiological aspects, treatment and outcome of central nervous system hydatidosis and compare our results with those reported in literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In our retrospective study, we reviewed 39 cases of primary central nervous system hydatid cysts operated on in our hospital between 1998 and 2007. RESULTS: There were 20 male and 19 female patients (sex-ratio M/F=1.05) between 2 and 68 years of age (mean=26.5 years). Thirteen of the patients were children (33.3%) with a mean age of 6.8 years and 26 were adults (66.7%) with a mean age of 36.3 years. The location of hydatid cysts was intracranial in 27 cases (69.2%) and spinal in 12 cases (30.8%). Headache and motor deficits were the predominant symptoms in patients with intracranial hydatidosis whereas back pain and spinal cord compression syndrome were the most frequent clinical presentations in patients with spinal hydatidosis. All patients underwent surgical resection of the cyst. Pathologic findings were consistent with hydatid cyst in all cases. During the follow-up period which ranged between 12 months and 5 years, 12 patients had recurrence (30.7%). Only one patient with intracranial hydatid cyst died postoperatively due to anaphylactic shock. CONCLUSION: Despite all the advances in imaging techniques and therapeutic methods, central nervous system hydatidosis remains difficult to cure and patient outcomes are not satisfactory especially in case of spinal involvement due to the high incidence of recurrence.

Primary spinal intradural extramedullary hydatid cyst in a child.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Spinal hydatid cyst is a serious form of hydatid disease affecting less than 1% of the total cases of hydatid disease. We present a case of pathologically confirmed primary intradural spinal cyst hydatid in an otherwise healthy patient who showed no other evidence of systemic hydatid cyst disease. CASE REPORT: An 8-year-old boy presented with back pain, left leg pain, and difficulty in walking. The patient had no other signs of systemic hydatid cyst disease. An intradural extramedullary cystic lesion was identified with magnetic resonance imaging and was shown to be a hydatid cyst by histopathologic examination after the surgical removal. CONCLUSION: Although extremely rare, primary intradural extramedullary hydatid cyst pathology might be the cause of leg pain and gait disturbance in children living in endemic areas.

Raccoon roundworm encephalitis.

The raccoon roundworm, Baylisascaris procyonis, is increasingly recognized as a cause of zoonotic visceral, ocular, and neural larva migrans and, in particular, of devastating encephalitis in young children. Exposure occurs mainly at raccoon latrines, where large numbers of infective eggs may be accidentally ingested. Risk factors for infection include contact with raccoon latrines, pica/geophagia, age of <4 years, and male sex. The severity of central nervous system (CNS) disease depends on the number of eggs ingested, the extent and location of larval migration, and the severity of ensuing inflammation and necrosis. Diagnosis of Baylisascaris encephalitis is based on clinical CNS disease, peripheral and cerebrospinal fluid eosinophilia, deep white matter lesions visible by magnetic resonance imaging, and positive results of serologic tests. Treatment efficacy in clinical cases is poor, but albendazole prevents disease if given promptly after infection. Considering the seriousness of this disease and limitations of diagnosis and treatment, prevention of infection with eggs is of utmost importance.

Hydatidosis of central nervous system and its coverings in the pediatric and adolescent age groups in Turkey during the last century: a critical review of 137 cases.

INTRODUCTION: Hydatid disease is still a major problem in infested areas of the world, especially in the rural areas, including Turkey. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review was to analyze the literature on the management of central nervous system (CNS) hydatidosis with an emphasis on their specificities in childhood and adolescence, with the aim of determining the clinical and neuroradiological findings and treatment modalities, medical or surgical, in these age groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To establish some guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of this controversial condition, publications reported from Turkey in national ( n=33) and international ( n=55) journals during the last century and databases containing medical literature were used. Strikingly, the numbers of articles produced by Turkish authors on CNS hydatidosis have risen tremendously during the study period. Although a total of 272 cases of intracranial and intraspinal hydatid cysts were reported from Turkey, only 137 cases for which detailed information was available were selected for further analysis, in keeping with our inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Despite the inherent limitations, this type of study indicates that the incidence of hydatidosis has not decreased in Turkey in recent years. The clinical findings were mostly atypical, and it was interesting that 4 patients were described as having cerebrovascular occlusive disease and 3 as having symptoms of movement disorders. Computed tomography and/or MRI techniques were extremely useful, both in reaching the correct diagnosis and for proper surgical management of hydatid disease, because of the absence of a pathognomonic clinical picture of this disease. The treatment of choice for hydatid disease of the CNS and its coverings was complete intact removal of the cyst. In contrast to that in intracranial hydatid cysts, however, surgical intervention was palliative, not curative, in almost all cases of intraspinal hydatidosis. According to this critical review of the literature, CNS hydatidosis is therefore still a life-threatening condition, in spite of all the advances in imaging techniques and therapeutic methods. The most important factors in prognosis are the localization of the focus of infection, rupture and of the cyst and dissemination of its content, and treatment modality. At present, surgical intervention preceded by careful neuroradiological evaluation remains the best surgical therapy, and this plus adjuvant chemotherapy is advocated in some cases as the gold standard for therapy.