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Published on: June 8, 2017
[Cerebral sparganosis in a child: case report]
Marta C Jones1, María Rosa Agosti, Marcelo D'Agustini
1Hospital de Niños Superiora Sor María Ludovica, La Plata, Buenos Aires. marcelinjones@gmail.com
Archivos Argentinos De Pediatria
|February 6, 2013
Summary
A rare parasitic infection, Spirometra spp. larva, was found in the brain of an 8-year-old boy in Argentina. This case highlights a chronic granulomatous inflammatory process in the right occipital lobe.
Area of Science:
- Neuroparasitology
- Pediatric Neurology
- Tropical Medicine
Background:
- Spirometra infections are zoonotic cestode infections.
- Neurosparganosis, a rare form of human sparganosis, occurs when Spirometra larvae infect the central nervous system.
- This case represents a unique instance of neurosparganosis in a pediatric patient.
Observation:
- An 8-year-old boy with a history of seizures presented with a lesion in the right occipital lobe.
- Pathology examination of a surgical specimen revealed a chronic granulomatous inflammatory process.
- A Spirometra spp. larva was identified within the brain tissue.
Findings:
- The identified larva was confirmed as Spirometra spp.
- The lesion was characterized by chronic granulomatous inflammation.
- The location of the parasitic infection was the cortical-subcortical area of the right occipital lobe.
Implications:
- This case is the first reported instance of Spirometra spp. infection in the brain of a child in Argentina.
- It underscores the importance of considering parasitic infections in the differential diagnosis of pediatric neurological disorders, especially in endemic regions.
- Further research is needed to understand the epidemiology and clinical spectrum of neurosparganosis in South America.
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