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Fifty patients with epilepsy seen in three Londrina Neurological Services, in Paraná, were studied. The positivity prevalence of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for cysticercosis in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in the serum of these patients was 34.0% and 20.0%, respectively. There was statistically significant difference when these two rates were compared with the reaction positivity in the CSF and the serum in the control group, formed by individuals without neurological diseases. There was no association between the type of seizure (generalized or partial) and the positivity index of ELISA for cysticercosis in the CSF. A greater number of patients with positive ELISA for cysticercosis in the rural area dwellers was found, in relation with the urban area dwellers. From the obtained results in our study we came to the following conclusions: 1. The high positivity ELISA rates for cysticercosis in the CSF and in the patients serum with epilepsy indicate that neurocysticercosis is an important seizure cause in Londrina, PR. 2. The positivity prevalence of ELISA for cysticercosis in CSF was greater in epileptic patients from the rural area than the ones from the urban area. 3. There was no association between the type seizure (generalized or partial) and the ELISA cysticercosis positivity rate in the CSF. 4. The high positivity prevalence of ELISA in the CSF and in the epileptic patients serum in Londrina indicates the priority of performing epidemiologic inquiry to establish the real cysticercosis prevalence in the city. ELISA may be used with this finality due to its high sensibility, its low cost and its simple performance.

In order to simplify breeding of triatominae in the laboratory, for performing xenodiagnosis and other biologic studies, we tried to feed the insects "in vitro" with citrated or defibrinated blood from commercially abated chicken. Two types of efficacy observations were carried out with Triatoma infestans: a) analysis of the chaining of successive nymphal stages, viability of satisfactory matching, fertile oviposition and adequate reproduction; b) assessment of viability and infectivity of Trypanosoma cruzi in the insects. As a conclusion, it became evident that, despite operational easiness, the objectives were not achieved, since the classical procedure used as the control, was always superior.

For the therapy of human strongyloidiasis, are necessary effective drugs to eliminate both larvae and adult worm parasitism, which may also be used by parenteral route, to obviate the particular conditions presented by many patients. A study based on the experimental infection by Strongyloides venezuelensis in rats was done, administering injectable ivermectin or levamisole. Both drugs were shown to be active, when used in single doses of 0.2 to 0.5 mg/kg of ivermectin, or 26 mg/kg for levamisole. Ivermectin was slightly more effective as far as larval stage of the infection is concerned, and the same happened for levamisole for the adult worm stage. Promising perspectives are visualized to improve the therapy of patients with serious disseminated infection by Strongyloides stercoralis.