TY - JOUR
T1 - Neurocysticercosis-related seizures in the post-partum period
T2 - two cases and a review of the literature
AU - Ursini, Tamara
AU - Di Giacomo, Roberta
AU - Caldrer, Sara
AU - Angheben, Andrea
AU - Zammarchi, Lorenzo
AU - Filipponi, Stefania
AU - Pizio, Nicola Renato
AU - Bisoffi, Zeno
AU - Buonfrate, Dora
N1 - Funding Information:
The work was partly funded by the Italian Ministry of Health “Fondi Ricerca Corrente – Linea 3, progetto 8” to IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital. Written informed consent was obtained from the patients for publication of this case report and the accompanying images.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/8
Y1 - 2020/8
N2 - Neurocysticercosis, the infection of the CNS with larval cysts of Taenia solium, is a leading cause of seizures in low-income countries. The clinical presentation of neurocysticercosis is variable and depends on the number, size, and location of cysticerci, and on the immune response of the host. In most patients, the affected site is the brain parenchyma, where cysts can precipitate seizures. Neurocysticercosis has seldom been described in pregnant women. In this Grand Round, we report two cases of pregnant women who immigrated to Italy from Bolivia and Ecuador, and who developed seizures in the early post-partum period, due to calcified parenchymal neurocysticercosis lesions. We discuss the complex interactions between neurocysticercosis and the immune system in pregnancy and the post-partum period. Building on this scenario, we propose practices for the management of neurocysticercosis in pregnancy and the post-partum period, highlighting important gaps in the literature that should be addressed.
AB - Neurocysticercosis, the infection of the CNS with larval cysts of Taenia solium, is a leading cause of seizures in low-income countries. The clinical presentation of neurocysticercosis is variable and depends on the number, size, and location of cysticerci, and on the immune response of the host. In most patients, the affected site is the brain parenchyma, where cysts can precipitate seizures. Neurocysticercosis has seldom been described in pregnant women. In this Grand Round, we report two cases of pregnant women who immigrated to Italy from Bolivia and Ecuador, and who developed seizures in the early post-partum period, due to calcified parenchymal neurocysticercosis lesions. We discuss the complex interactions between neurocysticercosis and the immune system in pregnancy and the post-partum period. Building on this scenario, we propose practices for the management of neurocysticercosis in pregnancy and the post-partum period, highlighting important gaps in the literature that should be addressed.
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U2 - 10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30240-1
DO - 10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30240-1
M3 - Review article
C2 - 32569624
AN - SCOPUS:85089033999
VL - 20
SP - e204-e214
JO - The Lancet Infectious Diseases
JF - The Lancet Infectious Diseases
SN - 1473-3099
IS - 8
ER -