Neurocysticercosis. An emergent disease

Abstract

Neurocysticerosis is an affection of the central nervous system by the larvae of the Taenia solium. Although its diagnosis in our country is exceptional, in recent years a notable increase in the number of cases diagnosed has been observed, due to the phenomenon of immigration from countries where the disease is endemic. The most frequent form of presentation of neurocysticercosis is seizures, followed by headache. To diagnose it we must evaluate the epidemiological data, the clinical record and confirm this through neuroimage and immunological studies. The treatment selected should be pharmacological, principally with albendazole, and surgery reserved for cases where the former fails. Hygienic measures and the treatment of patients with teniasis are of great importance. Neurocysticerosis has ceased to be an exceptional diagnosis and given the foreseeable increase of its incidence in our milieu, health professionals must understand this disease and include it at higher levels of the algorithms of differential diagnosis.