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Mass Isolation and In Vitro Cultivation of Intramolluscan Stages of the Human Blood Fluke Schistosoma Mansoni
Published on: January 14, 2018
[Neuroschistosomiasis: a challenging diagnosis]
P Tarabini-Castellani1, G González-Chinchón, M Aldamiz-Echebarría
1Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Txagorritxu, 01009 Vitoria, España. papaoba@yahoo.es
Revista De Neurologia
|February 8, 2007
Summary
Neuroschistosomiasis, a rare parasitic infection, can cause serious neurological issues like myelopathy. Early suspicion and diagnosis are crucial for effective treatment, especially in endemic regions or among travelers.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Parasitology
Background:
- Neuroschistosomiasis is an underdiagnosed neurological disease due to low clinical suspicion.
- Common manifestations include seizures, transverse myelitis, myeloradiculopathy, cauda equina syndrome, and Brown-Sequard syndrome.
Observation:
- A 27-year-old male from an endemic area presented with atypical neurological symptoms: myelopathy and multifocal neuritis.
- Diagnosis was confirmed by epidemiological data, positive serological studies for Schistosoma haematobium, and exclusion of other parasitic infections.
- Magnetic resonance imaging revealed hyper signal areas in T2, consistent with neuroschistosomiasis.
Findings:
- Schistosoma haematobium was detected in the bladder.
- Eosinophils in the sural nerve biopsy indicated a parasitic etiology.
- The patient showed clinical and radiological improvement after treatment.
Implications:
- Clinicians should suspect neuroschistosomiasis in patients with myelopathy or unexplained neurological symptoms.
- Increased global travel and migration necessitate considering parasitic infections like neuroschistosomiasis.
- Prompt diagnosis and treatment are vital for managing this uncommon but serious condition.
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