Neurological complications of Schistosoma infection

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma. Currently more than 200 million people worldwide are affected. Neuroschistosomiasis constitutes a severe presentation of the disease. Neurological. symptoms result from the inflammatory response of the host to egg deposition in the brain and spinal. cord. Neurological complications of cerebral schistosomiasis include delirium, loss of consciousness, seizures, dysphasia, visual. field( impairment, focal motor deficits and ataxia. Cerebral and cerebellar tumour-Like neuroschistosomiasis can present with increased intracranial pressure, headache, nausea and vomiting, and seizures. Myelopathy (acute transverse myelitis and subacute myeloradiculopathy) is the most common neurological. complication of Schistosoma mansoni infection. Schistosomal myelopathy tends to occur early after infection and is more likely to be symptomatic than cerebral. schistosomiasis. The conus medullaris and cauda equina are the most common sites of involvement. Severe schistosomal myelopathy can provoke a complete flaccid paraplegia with areflexia, sphincter dysfunction and sensory disturbances. Schistosomicidal. drugs, steroids and surgery are the currently available treatments for neuroschistosomiasis. Rehabilitation and multidisciplinary team care are needed in severely disabled patients. (c) 2007 Royal, Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.