Subcutaneous and cerebral cysticercosis

• Published in: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology Vol. 50; no. 2; pp. 14 - 17
• Main Authors: Uthida-Tanaka, Ana Maria, Sampaio, Maria Carolina A, Velho, Paulo Eduardo Neves Ferreira, Damasceno, Benito P, Cintra, Maria Letícia, de Moraes, Aparecida Machado, Zanardi, Verônica
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Mosby, Inc 01-02-2004; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cysticercosis; Diagnosis, Differential; Diseases caused by cestodes; Helminthic diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neurocysticercosis - complications; Neurocysticercosis - diagnosis; Neurocysticercosis - diagnostic imaging; Neurocysticercosis - pathology; Parasitic diseases; Skin Diseases, Parasitic - diagnosis; Skin Diseases, Parasitic - diagnostic imaging; Skin Diseases, Parasitic - etiology; Skin Diseases, Parasitic - pathology; Taenia solium - isolation & purification; Telencephalon; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Infection; Case study; Human; Skin disease; Nervous system diseases; Cysticercosis; Dermatology; Subcutaneous; Parasitosis; Helminthiasis; Cestode disease; Encephalon
• ISSN: 0190-9622; 1097-6787
• DOI: 10.1016/S0190-9622(03)00576-0

Cysticercosis is a human infestation, which is considered the most common cause of seizures worldwide. The subcutaneous lesions can help in the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis. We describe a case of a 45-year-old patient with multiple cutaneous nodules first seen 2 years ago that were increasing in number, and normal neurologic and fundoscopic examination. Neurologic symptoms started 3 months before hospital admission as a mild headache and muscular weakness. The imaging examinations showed a massive central nervous system involvement. Physicians must be aware of the importance of subcutaneous nodule examination for the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis.