Neurocysticercosis

Neurocysticercosis results when the ingested eggs of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, hatch into larval forms that penetrate the gut wall, disseminate hematogenously, and then encyst in the brain. The subsequent symptoms and associated morbidity are variable. Worldwide, cysticercosis is the most common parasitic disease affecting the central nervous system, but it is not a common autopsy finding in the United States. Neurocysticercosis may be an incidental finding, a contributing cause of death, or the underlying cause of death. It is also important for the forensic pathologist to be aware of the possibility of neurocysticercosis in the autopsy population for purposes of epidemiology studies and infection control. The authors use cases of neurocysticercosis found at autopsy at their institution to give examples of each scenario and to review the clinical and pathologic features of this parasitic disease.