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Published on: September 19, 2019

Case report: human brain abscess due to a tetra-acetabulate plerocercoid metacestode (Cyclophyllidea)

Yves J F Garin1, Maria-Teresa Galán-Puchades, Antoine Moulignier

  • 1Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital Saint Louis, U.F.R. Lariboisière, Université Paris VII, France. jfgarin@bhdc.jussieu.fr

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
|May 14, 2005
PubMed

Insights

A rare parasitic infection in the human brain was identified in a Cambodian man presenting with seizures. The study reports the first human case of a tetra-acetabulate plerocercoid, a type of tapeworm larva, found in the brain.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroparasitology
  • Medical Entomology
  • Tropical Medicine

Background:

  • A 38-year-old man presented with a generalized grand mal seizure and a 9-month history of headaches.
  • Neuroimaging revealed a rounded lesion in the brain, located anterior to the left central sulcus.

Observation:

  • Surgical resection of the lesion, approximately 20 mm in diameter, yielded an elongated, unsegmented metacestode.
  • Histologic examination identified the metacestode as a tetra-acetabulate plerocercoid of the order Cyclophyllidea, featuring a rostellum and pseudosegmentation.

Findings:

  • This case represents the first documented instance of a tetra-acetabulate plerocercoid infecting a human host.
  • It is also the first report of any cyclophyllidean plerocercoid being found within the human brain.

Implications:

  • This finding expands the known host range for Cyclophyllidea tapeworm larvae.
  • Highlights the importance of considering parasitic infections in neurological presentations, especially in travelers returning from endemic areas.
  • Successful surgical removal led to complete patient recovery with no residual symptoms or neurological deficits.

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