Cysticercosis is a rare infectious disease caused by the presence and accumulation of the larval cysts of a tapeworm (cestode) within tissues of the body. The scientific name for the tapeworm that causes cysticercosis is Taenia solium (T. solium), which is also known as the pork tapeworm. T. solium cysts (cysticerci) may affect any area of the body including the brain, a condition known as neurocysticercosis. Symptoms vary from case to case. If cysticerci are located in the brain, central nervous system abnormalities may occur, most often seizures and headaches. Cysticercosis may also affect the eyes, spinal cord, skin and heart. please comment thank u

1. Cysticercosis 📖
Medical information |types| symptoms|
management | prevention
PREPARED BY | MARTIN SHAJI | PHARM D

2. Introduction | Definition
 Cysticercosis is a rare infectious disease caused by the presence and
accumulation of the larval cysts of a tapeworm (cestode) within
tissues of the body. The scientific name for the tapeworm that causes
cysticercosis is Taenia solium (T. solium), which is also known as the
pork tapeworm. T. solium cysts (cysticerci) may affect any area of the
body including the brain, a condition known as neurocysticercosis.
Symptoms vary from case to case. If cysticerci are located in the brain,
central nervous system abnormalities may occur, most often seizures
and headaches. Cysticercosis may also affect the eyes, spinal cord, skin
and heart.

3. Signs & symptoms
 The symptoms of cysticercosis vary from case to case depending
upon the number and location of cysticerci within the body.
Cysticerci are often found in muscle tissue. In some cases, the cysts
have been located in brain, eyes or heart tissue. Some individuals
with cysticercosis will exhibit no symptoms (asymptomatic) or very
mild symptoms.

4. Signs & symptoms (cont… )
 Many individuals with cysticercosis have central nervous system
involvement (neurocysticercosis). However, many individuals with
neurocysticercosis do not exhibit or develop symptoms. The
specific symptoms of neurocysticercosis depend upon the number
and location of cysts involved as well as an individual’s immune
system response.

5. Types & symptoms
 The four basic types of neurocysticercosis are parenchymal,
subarachnoid, intraventricular and spinal. Symptoms common to all
forms of neurocysticercosis include headaches, seizures and
accumulation of excessive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the skull
(hydrocephalus) causing increased pressure on the tissues of the brain,
resulting in a variety of symptoms including headaches, nausea,
dizziness, changes in vision, and vomiting.
 In some cases, individuals who develop hydrocephalus often, in turn,
develop swelling of the optic disc (papilledema). Papilledema may
cause blurred or double vision.

6. Parenchymal cysticercosis
 Parenchymal disease may be
associated with headaches, seizures,
intellectual impairment, behavioral
changes, and hydrocephalus.
Impairment of the ability to
coordinate voluntary movements
(ataxia) and muscular weakness on
one side of the body (hemiparesis)
may also occur with this form of
neurocysticercosis.
Giant parenchymal cysticercosis

7. Subarachnoid cysticercosis
 Subarachnoid cysticercosis is associated with chronic inflammation
of the membranes covering the brain (meninges), headaches,
seizures, and hydrocephalus.

8. Intraventricular cysticercosis
 Racemose cysticercosis is characterized by
accumulation of cysts at the base of the brain
potentially resulting in mental deterioration, coma
and life-threatening complications. Cysts affecting
the spinal cord are rare, but may result in
meningitis or compression of the spinal cord
 Intraventricular cysticercosis may cause
obstructive hydrocephalus. A variant of this form
of cysticercosis known as racemose cysticercosis
may occur

9. Spinal cysticercosis
 Cysts affecting the spinal
cord are rare, but may
result in meningitis or
compression of the spinal
cord.

10.  In some cases, individuals may experience heavy central nervous
system infections, which can potentially result in life-threatening
complications such as stroke or coma (cysticercal encephalitis).
Individuals with heavy CNS infections often first develop muscle
pain (myalgia), weakness, and fever.

11. Ocular cysticercosis
 Ocular cysticercosis occurs when
cysts form in the eyes. Associated
symptoms may include eye pain,
loss of vision and separation of the
nerve-rich membrane lining the
eyes (retina) from its underlying,
supporting tissue (retinal
detachment). In some cases
cysticercosis may only affect the
eyes (isolated ocular cysticercosis).

12.  In some cases, cysts may form under the skin causing small
lumps. These lumps usually do not cause any additional
symptoms.

13. Causes / aetiology
 Cysticercosis results from the ingestion of the eggs of the
tapeworm known as Taenia solium. Ingestion of contaminated
pork usually results in adult tapeworm infection not
cysticercosis.

14. The normal life cycle of pork tapeworms
is as follows:
 the pig ingests tapeworm eggs. In the pig’s intestine, the eggs hatch and
burrow through the gut wall into muscle tissue. There they encyst and
develop into larval cysts called cysticerci. When the pig is killed and its
meat eaten by a person, the cysticerci are released and attach themselves
to the wall of the intestine where they develop into egg producing adult
tapeworms. This is known as adult tapeworm infection and usually causes
no symptoms. However, individuals with adult tapeworm infection can
develop cysticercosis because they will release T. solium eggs through their
feces and can potentially ingest the eggs (autoinfection). These individuals
may also regurgitate or reflux T. solium eggs from the intestines into the
stomach.

16.  Cysticercosis usually results when an individual ingests food, especially
pork, contaminated with T. solim eggs (rather than the larvae). The eggs
travel via the bloodstream eventually finding their way into the muscle,
subcutaneous, brain, and other tissues of the body. After 60 to 90 days the
eggs encyst and develop into larval cysts (cysticerci). The cysts remain in
the body tissue indefinitely, unable to proceed to the next stage of their
life cycle. As long as these larvae remain alive, they appear to be able to
“disguise” themselves from the host’s immune system causing only mild
symptoms. However, eventually the larvae die off causing a strong
immune defensive reaction against it or the cyst surrounding it. The cyst
itself may become enormous. Such inflammatory reactions can cause
severe illness, particularly if the cysticerci are lodged in the central
nervous system or heart.

18. Affected Populations
 Cysticercosis affects males and females in equal numbers. Some
forms of cysticercosis such as racemose cysticercosis occur more
frequently in females. Approximately 1,000 cases of cysticercosis
are reported each year in the United States. The disease is more
common in Mexico, Latin America, South America, Eastern Europe,
and Southeast Asia. Cysticercosis cases have risen in the United
States following increased immigration from endemic areas.

19. Related Disorders
 Tapeworms can be acquired from various uncooked meats,
including beef and fish, but only pork tapeworms appear to
produce larvae capable of invading human muscle and
forming cysts.

20. Diagnosis
 A diagnosis of cysticercosis may be made based upon a
thorough clinical evaluation, a detailed patient history and a
variety of specialized tests. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
and computed tomography (CT) scan may be used to diagnose
neurocysticercosis.Standard Therapies

21. Treatment
 In many cases individuals with cysticercosis do not require
treatment.
 In cases where symptoms are present, individuals are often treated
with drugs or surgery. The antiparasitic drug albendazole (Albenza)
was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the
treatment of cysticercosis in 1996.

22.  Before the development of albendazole, the antiparasitic drug
praziquantel (Biltricide) was often used to treat individuals with
cysticercosis. Infection with an adult tapeworm can be eliminated
using antiparasitic medications such as niclosamide or
paronomycin. As described above, care must be taken to avoid the
release of large quantities of eggs from the dying tapeworms as
this may cause cysticercosis. Seizures sometimes associated with
neurocysticercosis may be treated with anti-seziure medications
(anticonvulsants) such as phenytoin (Dilantin) or lorazepam
(Antivan).

23.  A variety of surgical techniques may be used to treat certain
individuals with cysticercosis. Hydrocephalus may be treated by the
insertion of a tube (shunt) to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
away from the brain and into another part of the body where the
CSF can be absorbed. Surgical excision of cysts (cysticerci) may be
performed in certain cases. Cysticerci affecting the eyes may also
be treated surgically.Other treatment is symptomatic and
supportive.Investigational Therapies