Cerebral sparganosis in a child

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Infectious Diseases
• Parasitology

Background:

• Cerebral sparganosis, a rare parasitic infection of the brain, is exceptionally uncommon in children.
• Prior to 1996, only two pediatric cases of cerebral sparganosis had been documented.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a rare case of cerebral sparganosis in a pediatric patient.
• To highlight the diagnostic challenges and clinical presentation of this condition in children.

Main Methods:

• Case presentation of a 6-year-old girl with neurological symptoms.
• Serial brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to track lesion migration.
• Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for antisparganum antibodies.
• Surgical removal of the parasitic worm and surrounding granulomatous tissue.

Main Results:

• The patient presented with seizures and a migrating brain lesion observed over four months on serial MRI scans.
• ELISA confirmed the presence of antisparganum antibodies.
• A live sparganum worm was surgically removed, leading to a negative antibody conversion 12 months post-surgery.
• The likely source of infection was contaminated spring water.

Conclusions:

• Cerebral sparganosis should be considered in endemic areas, even in pediatric patients, presenting with migrating granulomatous brain lesions.
• Early diagnosis and surgical intervention are crucial for favorable outcomes.
• This case underscores the importance of considering rare parasitic infections in the differential diagnosis of pediatric neurological disorders.