Subarachnoid basal neurocysticercosis: a focus on the most severe form of the disease

Abstract

Neurocysticercosis is an endemic disease in Latin America, Asia and Africa with growing occurrence in industrialized countries due to the increase in migration from low- and middle-income to high-income countries. The most severe clinical presentation is when the parasite is located in the subarachnoid space at the base of the brain (NCSAB). Aside from its clinical presentation, the severity of this form of the disease is due to the difficulties in diagnosis and treatment. Although NCSAB frequency is lower than that reported for the parenchymal location of the parasite, its clinical relevance must be emphasized. We provide a critical review of the central epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic features of this particular form of the disease, which is still associated with unacceptably high rates of morbidity and mortality.

Keywords::

• Mexico
• neurocysticercosis
• neuroparasitology
• racemose form
• Taenia solium

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Juan Francisco Rodriguez Ramirez for technical assistance, and Claudia Diaz Olavarrieta and María Isabel Pérez Montfort for English corrections.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was partially supported by Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, México (grant number: S0008-86527). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Writing assistance was funded by the following institutions: The Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas funded María Isabel Perez Montfort and the Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía funded Claudia Diaz Olavarrieta.