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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

[Parasitic diseases in the central nervous system].

Along with the drastic decrease of soil-transmitted intestinal helminthiases, parasitic diseases in general are ignored, or considered as the disease of the past, in Japan. However, due to the Japanese food culture of eating raw materials, food-borne parasitic diseases are still present in Japan. The majority of food-borne parasitic diseases are zoonotic, and caused by ectopic migration of parasite larvae. They accidentally migrate into CNS to cause deleterious conditions. Clinicians should always remind about the possibility of parasitic diseases when they make differential diagnosis for CNS diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

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.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Brain hydatidosis: report on 117 cases.

Among a series of 155 brain hydatid disease patients hospitalized between 1965 and 1998, 117 were children. The mean age was approximately 7.2 years, with a slight male predominance. Eighteen patients presented with another visceral localization. Symptoms and signs of intracranial hypertension are currently encountered (75%) followed by hemiparesis, epilepsy, mental changes, skull deformities and, more rarely, dyskinetic phenomenon. Brain hemispheric localization is the rule, with some exceptions. CT scans reveal an intra-parenchymal lesion with clearly defined, rarely enhanced margins. Medical treatment has virtually no place in the management of cerebral solitary cyst. Albendazole has been used in cases of multiple involvement, with controversial results. Surgical hydrostatic expulsion is the only effective treatment. Recovery is expected when the cyst is extracted completely unruptured.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Gigantic intracranial mass of hydatid cyst.

A child (8 years old) with a gigantic mass of intracranial hydatid cysts (95x90x75 mm) is presented. The first manifestation was difficulty in walking, which was followed by symptoms of raised intracranial pressure. A craniotomy was performed, and more than 25 hydatid cysts were removed. The literature is reviewed and the incidence of gigantic mass of cerebral hydatid cyst is compared in the published reports.

Brain↗
PubMed2004

The severity of mouse pathologies caused by the bird schistosome Trichobilharzia regenti in relation to host immune status.

Cercariae of the nasal bird schistosome Trichobilharzia regenti are able to penetrate into mammalian skin and migrate to the mouse central nervous system (CNS) causing tissue injury in certain cases. Our study shows that the severity of T. regenti pathologies in the CNS closely depends on the host immune status. During the primary infection of immunocompetent mice, the parasites evoked an acute inflammatory reaction in the skin and the CNS involving focal oedema and cellular infiltration of the tissue. Challenge infections resulted in the development of extensive inflammatory foci in the host skin which precluded the subsequent migration of the schistosomula to the CNS. On the other hand, during primary as well as challenge infections of immunodeficient mice (SCID), no significant immune response against the parasites was detected in any of the host organs examined; however, in contrast to immunocompetent mice, the infections were frequently manifested by severe leg paralysis.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Histopathology of CNS and nasal infections caused by Trichobilharzia regenti in vertebrates.

In bird infections caused by Trichobilharzia regenti, the central nervous system (CNS) represents probably the main route to the nasal cavity, where maturation of the parasite occurs. However, in an abnormal mouse host, development is incomplete and is accompanied by a strong affinity of the parasite to the CNS. In order to explain pathological changes caused by the parasite, a histological study of cross-sections from the CNS and nasal cavity was performed. In the CNS of duck and mouse, immature flukes were found. Cross-sections showed parasites located either in meninges or in matter of various parts of the spinal cord and brain. In the spinal cord, the submeningeal location led to a strong inflammatory reaction around the schistosomula and resulted in eosinophilic meningitis. In the white and gray matter of the spinal cord and in the white matter of the brain, a cellular infiltration of spongy tissue surrounded the immature parasites; and we observed dystrophic and necrotic changes of neurons, perivascular eosinophilic inflammation in the spinal cord and brain, and cell infiltration around the central canal of the spinal cord. T. regenti adults and eggs were detected in the nasal mucosa of infected ducklings; and aging of the eggs resulted in various host reactions, ranging from focal accumulation of cells to the formation of granulomas. Histopathological changes may explain symptoms described previously for prepatent and patent phases of infections caused by T. regenti, i.e., neuromotor abnormalities in birds and mammals and hemorrhages/petechiae in birds, respectively.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Angiostrongylus cantonensis: efficacy of albendazole-dexamethasone co-therapy against infection-induced plasminogen activators and eosinophilic meningitis.

Angiostrongyliasis is one of the common causes leading to eosinophilic meningitis. Tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) may play a role in the pathogenesis. Administration of steroid drugs has been reported to possibly relieve the symptoms of eosinophilic meningitis. This study evaluates the curative effects of albendazole-dexamethasone co-therapy on eosinophilic meningitis in BALB/c mice. Assay indicators for the therapeutic effect include worm recovery, histopathological score of meningitis, tPA, uPA, total protein, and leukocyte counts. The results show that the albendazole-dexamethasone co-therapy significantly decreased (P<0.05) these factors after treatment on day 5 post-inoculation (PI), in contrast to treatment on 15 PI. Thus, the timing of medication is important and is closely related to the anthelmintic efficacy of a drug. At the same dosage and days post-infection, the earlier administration shows better results. This study showed that albendazole-dexamethasone co-therapy is an effective approach for the treatment of parasitic meningitis.

Albendazole↗
PubMed2004

Elevation of plasminogen activators in cerebrospinal fluid of mice with eosinophilic meningitis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis.

A hallmark of parasitic meningitis is the infiltration of eosinophils into the subarachnoid space. Infection with Angiostrongylus cantonensis in mice induced proteinase activity in parallel with the pathological changes of eosinophilic meningitis. Zymogram analysis demonstrated that 70 and 55 kDa proteinases from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were active against the casein/plasminogen substrate. The proteinase activities were clearly inhibited by phenylmethanesulphonyl fluoride but not by ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, 1,10-phenanthroline or leupeptin. Western blotting confirmed these enzymes to be tissue-type plasminogen activator and urokinase-type plasminogen activator, respectively. High activities of tissue-type plasminogen activator and urokinase-type plasminogen activator were detected in the CSF of mice with eosinophilic meningitis, and correlated positively with CSF eosinophil numbers and total protein, respectively. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that tissue-type plasminogen activator and urokinase-type plasminogen activator localised in the endothelial cells of blood vessels, in blood clots and in infiltrated leukocytes. These results suggest that tissue-type plasminogen activator and urokinase-type plasminogen activator may be play a role in the pathogenesis of eosinophilic meningitis of angiostrongyliasis.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis↗
PubMed2005

Severe and fatal central nervous system disease in humans caused by Baylisascaris procyonis, the common roundworm of raccoons: a review of current literature.

Baylisascaris procyonis, a parasitic infection of raccoons, causes severe neurologic disease in humans when infective eggs from raccoon feces are ingested. Definitive diagnosis is challenging, but can be made by isolation of larvae in brain biopsy or exclusion of other potential causes of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis. Prevention efforts are critical due to the lack of effective treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Immunodiagnosis of human eosinophilic meningitis using an antigen of Angiostrongylus cantonensis L5 with molecular weight 204 kD.

An antigen from Angiostrongylus cantonensis fifth-stage larvae was purified by immuno-affinity chromatography with a specific monoclonal antibody. The purified antigen showed only a single band with a molecular weight of 204 kD in SDS-PAGE, and no cross-reactivity to antibodies induced by several other species of helminths were observed in ELISA. When the purified antigen was used to examine serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens by ELISA, the antibody levels in patients with eosinophilic meningitis or meningoencephalitis (EME) were significantly higher than those of control subjects. The antibody levels in serum were slightly higher than those in CSF, and the levels in serum were positively correlated with the levels in CSF. The reliability in detection of antibodies in serum was slightly higher than that in the detection of antibodies in CSF specimens. The purification of a specific A. cantonensis antigen and its subsequent use in the development of an ELISA for detection of A. cantonensis specific antibodies in serum specimens constitute an important step towards improvement in the accuracy of diagnosis for A. cantonensis infections.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis↗
PubMed2000

Neuro-angiostrongyliasis: unresolved issues.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis, the rat lungworm, probably evolved with its hosts, members of the genus Rattus and closely related species, in south-east Asia. Since its first discovery in rats in China and in a case of human infection in Taiwan, the parasite has been found to infect humans and other mammals across a wide and ever-increasing territory, which now encompasses much of south-east Asia, Melanesia, Polynesia and eastern Australia. It has also established a foothold in Africa, India, the Caribbean and south-eastern USA. This dispersal has been a direct result of human activity, and in some cases has been linked with the spread of the African giant land snail, Achatina fulica. However, this snail is not critical to the extension of the parasite's range, as numerous other indigenous molluscan species serve as adequate intermediate hosts; the importance of Achatina to the life cycle may have been over-emphasized. In Australia, the parasite is established along parts of the east coast, and the presence of an indigenous close relative, Angiostrongylus mackerrasae, suggests a long association of the parasite with its local rat hosts, a situation analogous to that of Angiostrongylus malaysiensis in south-east Asia. These three Angiostrongylus species share virtually the same life cycle, but only A. cantonensis has been confirmed to be a human pathogen.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Trichobilharzia regenti, a pathogen of the avian and mammalian central nervous systems.

The development of nasal avian schistosomes of the genus Trichobilharzia in their final host is poorly known. Therefore, an experimental infection of ducklings (Anas platyrhynchos f. dom.) by T. regenti was performed. The infection resulted in leg paralysis and orientation/balance disorders of birds. The examination of the duck's spinal cord and brain confirmed the presence of developing parasites in pre-patent as well as patent periods. The absence of the worms in other tissues strongly supports our hypothesis that the parasite migrates through the central nervous system (CNS) to its final location in bird nasal mucosa. The injury level is probably dependent on number of parasites as well as yet unknown host factors. The affinity to the CNS seems to be high; also by exposure of experimental animals to low cercarial doses the growing worms in the CNS were found. In addition to the generally accepted view that bird schistosomes may cause cercarial dermatitis of mammals (including man), there is evidence of a partial development of T. regenti in mouse CNS; in certain cases leg paralysis was also recorded. Therefore, the pathogenesis spectrum caused by bird schistosomes in birds/mammals needs to be reconsidered.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

[Cerebrospinal nematodosis in sheep in Switzerland].

In December 2005 three sheep, originating from Canton Tessin, were presented with cerebrospinal nematodosis. The animals had a history of progressive pelvic limb ataxia and recumbency. The most important clinical findings were an abnormal gait (wide stance, pelvic limb paresis) and decreased sensitivity of the pelvic limbs. The general condition was slightly or moderately disturbed, appetite was normal. Examination of the cerebrospinal fluid revealed mononuclear cells and eosinophils, suggesting a helminthic infection of the central nervous system. Postmortem findings confirmed the clinical diagnosis in one animal as parts of a nematode were found in the thoracic spinal cord. Even though the nematode could not be identified, infection with Elaphostrongylus cervi seems very likely, as the sheep are in close contact with deer on the pastures and the parasite is known to infect goats in Switzerland. This is the first description of cerebrospinal nematodosis in sheep in Switzerland.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Neurotropic behaviour of Trichobilharzia regenti in ducks and mice.

The bird nasal schistosome Trichobilharzia regenti is a new agent of cercarial dermatitis. Cercariae are able to penetrate the skin of birds and mammals including man. The parasite then attacks the central nervous system. The present study has shown that schistosomula avoid penetration of blood capillaries and enter the peripheral nerves of the legs of mice and ducks as early as 1 day post-infection (p.i.) and 1.5 days p.i., respectively. These peripheral nerves are used as a route to the spinal cord. In the specific host (duck) schistosomula were found in the spinal cord from 2 days p.i. until 15 days p.i. and in the brain from 12 days p.i. until 18 days p.i. In non-specific hosts (mice; inbred strains BALB/c, hr/hr, SCID) living schistosomula were found in the spinal cord from 2 days p.i. until 21 or 24 days p.i. (depending on the mouse strain) and in the brain of two (BALB/c, SCID) of three inbred strains from 3 days p.i. until 24 days p.i. No correlation was found between the infection dose and clinical status of the experimental hosts. A high affinity of schistosomula for the peripheral nerves was also proved in vitro, suggesting a new type of migratory behaviour in schistosomatids.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Epidemiology of cerebrospinal Elaphostrongylus cervi infection in red deer in central Spain.

Elaphostrongylus cervi produces a subclinical cerebrospinal disease in many wild and domestic ruminants from Europe, North America and New Zealand and has recently been described in Spain. To determine some aspects of its epidemiology, 121 red deer (Cervus elaphus) from central Spain were sampled during 2000. The prevalence (7%) and mean worm burden (3.8 worms per brain) were similar to the values previously recorded in other European areas. The infection was only detected in young deer during the winter. The estimation of larval production in the faeces was not a reliable method of diagnosing E. cervi infection.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Diffusion-weighted and conventional MR imaging in neurotrichinosis.

Central nervous system involvement in trichinosis is not rare. Brain lesions in trichinosis have been defined on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as multifocal small lesions located in the cerebral cortex and white matter. We present a case of trichinosis with multifocal lesions of the brain detected by MRI and diffusion weighted MRI. Evolutions of these lesions from acute through chronic stages on follow up studies are also presented. This is the first report describing sequential MRI findings and diffusion weighted imaging appearance of brain lesions in trichinosis. Sequential evaluation of conventional and diffusion MR data allowed us to conclude that multifocal lesions in the brain were related to multiple infarctions rather than true inflammatory infiltration of the brain parenchyma.

Brain Stem↗