Subcutaneous and cerebral cysticercosis treated with praziquantel

Subcutaneous and cerebral cysticercosis, the latter visualized in computer tomography, occurred in a 38 year-old Filipina who had multiple asymptomatic subcutaneous nodules and headache. Treatment with praziquantel was given at 35 mg/day for 10 days, dexamethasone and carbamazepine were also given to reduce side effects. Three months after praziquantel therapy most of the subcutaneous nodules, the headache and the intracranial lesion disappeared and at 9 months 23 of the original 26 subcutaneous nodules had disappeared. Computer tomography is a valuable adjunct to the diagnosis and follow up of cerebral cysticercosis and praziquantel was found to be very effective in the treatment of the parasitoses.