Eosinophilic meningitis in Tahiti: clinical study of 54 patients

Eosinophilic meningitis is due to infestation of the nervous system by the larvae of Angiostrongylus cantonensis. The infection is from infected prawns and slugs. In a study of 54 patients from Tahiti the leading symptoms were headaches, neck stiffness, limb pains and sometimes a facial palsy. The diagnosis is made by examination of the CSF when the leucocytes are usually over 100/mm3 and over half are eosinophilic cells. The blood eosinophil count is often raised, above 400/mm3. The disease is self-limiting and there is no known specific treatment.