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[Development, symptomatology and treatment of "animal" and "plant" parasites of the central nervous system].
- Source :
-
Schweizer Archiv fur Neurologie und Psychiatrie (Zurich, Switzerland : 1985) [Schweiz Arch Neurol Psychiatr (1985)] 1986; Vol. 137 (4), pp. 15-23. - Publication Year :
- 1986
-
Abstract
- Eight cases of today rather rare infections of the brain and spinal cord with animal and plant parasites are described. Echinococcus was identified in one patient, cysticercus cellulosis in 4 and in 3 patients various fungi (actinomycosis Meyerii, aspergillus fumigatus, nokardiose asteroides) were found. Prior to the admission to the hospital none of these patients were correctly diagnosed. Animal parasites mimicked the symptomatology of a brain tumour or of a space occupying process. If localised intraspinally they produced signs similar to prolapsed lumbar disc. Plant parasites caused formation of particular suppurative granulation tissues in the form of abscesses which were often disseminated. By contrast, animal parasites produced only mechanical damage of the brain tissue. In addition to surgical intervention aiming at complete removal of parasite cysts or abscesses, drug therapy with the broadspectrum antibiotics or Praziquantel, an isochinoline derivate, is appropriate. Although due to the better diagnostic procedures and specific drug treatment the mortality rate in the countries with widespread parasite infections (Southern Europe and South America) has dropped from 50-80% to 5-6%, the experience shows that only about half of the patients survive the operation when a longer time-span is considered.
- Subjects :
- Actinomycosis diagnosis
Adult
Aspergillosis diagnosis
Brain Abscess diagnosis
Brain Diseases therapy
Cestode Infections therapy
Cysticercosis diagnosis
Echinococcosis diagnosis
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Mycoses therapy
Spinal Cord Diseases therapy
Spinal Diseases therapy
Brain Diseases diagnosis
Cestode Infections diagnosis
Mycoses diagnosis
Spinal Cord Diseases diagnosis
Spinal Diseases diagnosis
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- German
- ISSN :
- 0258-7661
- Volume :
- 137
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Schweizer Archiv fur Neurologie und Psychiatrie (Zurich, Switzerland : 1985)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 2428102