[Neurocysticercosis: a clinical and pathological study of 27 necropsied cases]

Neurocysticercosis is the most frequent and widespread neuroparasitosis of the human being. The development of brain and leptomeningeal lesions, with subsequent symptoms, are mainly related with the immune status of the host, and to the number and evolutional phase of the parasites. We present the pathological findings in 27 necropsies of patients with neurocysticercosis, which accounted for 3.1% of the necropsies. 77% of the patients were male and the age ranged from 18 to 85 years. In 26% there was previous history of alcoholism. Clinicopathological study showed that 50% of the cases were classified as asymptomatic form, 11% epileptic form, 11% intraventricular form and 11% combined form. 33% of the patients presented seizures as a factor of aggravation of the clinical picture. There was a single cysticercus in 60% of the cases, the cellulosae form present in 82% and the racemous form in 7% of the cases; the remaining 11% had both forms present. In 30% of the patients the cause of death was directly related with the presence of the cysticercus in the central nervous system. Our findings confirm the high morbidity of this disease.