Intraparenchymal cerebral cysticercosis in children: a benign prognosis

This paper reports 26 consecutive cases of cerebral cysticercosis in children, 21 presenting with intraparenchymal mass lesions, two with encephalitic disease, and three with intraventricular (racemous) cysticercosis. The intraparenchymal and encephalitic forms of the disease were benign. Regression of the lesions occurred within four months of diagnosis in all children treated conservatively with antiepileptic drugs, but no antiparasitic drugs. Major morbidity was limited to those patients who were subjected to operative intervention. Intraventricular disease was most malignant; all three patients manifested acute, severely increased intracranial pressure, all required immediate surgical decompression, and one patient died. The apparent overall benign course of intraparenchymal cerebral cysticercosis in children appears not to warrant antiparasitic drug therapy.