Article
Pseudotumoral Form of Neuroschistosomiasis: Report of Three Cases
Registro en:
ANDRADE FILHO, A. S. et al. Pseudotumoral form of neuroschistosomiasis: Report of three cases.The Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases, v. 11, n. 4, p. 435-438, 2007.
1413-8670
Autor
Andrade Filho, Antonio de Souza
Queiroz, Aristides Cheto de
Freire, Antonio C. C.
Lima, Leonardo Conrado S.
Filho, Celso A. S.
Amado, Isolda N.
Reis, Mitermayer Galvão dos
Santos, Isis Fernandes Magalhães
Carmo, Theomira Mauadie de Azevedo
Resumen
Central nervous system (CSN) involvement in schistosomiasis is an ectopic manifestation with a large variety of
clinical forms, including pseudotumoral, which occurs in isolated cases and is rare. Three patients with epidemiological
indications of this pathology were examined; the clinical picture included lower-back pain irradiating to lower
limbs, associated with progressive flaccid paraparesis and sphincterial disturbances in cases in which the spinal
chord was involved; while in cases with encephalitic impairment, headache, dizziness and cerebellar syndrome,
characterized by dysarthria and right-side dysgraphia, were present. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a
growing process in all cases; cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) characteristics and biological markers were compatible with
neuroschistosomiasis (NS). Biopsy of the lesions confirmed this diagnosis in one case. After specific treatment with
schistosomicides and corticosteroids, clinical, radiological and laboratorial improvement was observed.