What is brain cysticercosis? What factors lead to the development of the disease? What are the symptoms of the disease? What is the diagnosis and treatment? The answers to these and other questions can be found in our publication.
General information
Cysticercosis of the human brain is a specific form of helminthiasis, which develops in the case of penetration of larvae of pork tapeworm into the cerebral tissues of the body. Here, neoplasms are formed in the form of bubbles filled with fluid. Inside, cestodoses are concentrated. These are small parasites that attach heads to tissues, poisoning the brain with its own waste products. Of these larvae, adult helminths form over time.
Disease spread
Most often, cases of brain cysticercosis are observed in Latin America, Asia and Africa. In the European part, the disease is predominantly affected by the population living in regions with developed pig farming. There are no gender differences in incidence. However, adults are much more likely to become infected with larvae of pork tapeworm compared to children.
Infection mechanism
There are several ways of infection of the causative agent of brain cysticercosis: external and internal. In the first case, the parasite larvae enter the human body from the external environment. Most often this leads to non-compliance with basic hygiene rules. The causative agents of the disease can be on unwashed hands, dirty food. In rare situations, workers in research laboratories who have to work with infected materials become infected.
The internal mechanism is associated with processes that can occur in the human gastrointestinal tract. For example, in the urge to vomit, the contents of the intestine, in which the segments of the adult parasite's body are concentrated, are thrown back into the stomach. Thus, helminth eggs are released, spreading throughout the body by blood flow, enter the brain tissue.
Pig Chain Development Cycle
The disease develops as a result of the entry of parasite larvae into the human body. When parasitic pathogens appear in the digestive organs, their membranes are destroyed. This leads to the effect on them of the acidic environment of gastric juices. Further, the development cycle of pork tapeworm continues already in the blood structure, where helminth eggs are absorbed. In this way, parasites can spread through the tissues of various organs and systems. Most often, they settle in the muscles and penetrate the brain.
After fixing in the tissues of the human body, larvae are formed, which are converted into the so-called cysticercus. The latter is a bubble, the diameter of which can be from 3 to 15 mm. In this preserved form, the parasite is able to remain viable for decades.
In comfortable conditions, the larvae are independently fertilized. Worms are formed from the eggs of the parasite, which travel through the body. Once in the stomach, their body begins to divide into segments, which are excreted into the environment along with feces.
When animals eat all kinds of sewage, pig cysticercosis occurs. Accordingly, helminth eggs penetrate their body. Helminth embryos enter through the tissues of the organs into the circulatory system. Here their metamorphoses occur. The result is the formation of Finn - small bubbles filled with a colorless liquid.
If cysticercosis in pigs continues to develop, these peculiar larvae grow heads. They contain several hooks and suction cups that help the parasites to attach to the tissues of the internal organs of the animal. When the Finns enter the human body, the cycle of development of the helminth is repeated.
Symptoms
The development of cysticercosis in humans is evidenced by such signs as:
- increased emotional irritability;
- alternation of nervous excitability with prolonged periods of apathy;
- low sensitivity
- the occurrence of convulsive conditions resembling epileptic seizures;
- in rare cases, hallucinations, loss of orientation in space are observed.
Based on the location of the parasite larvae, a number of additional symptoms may occur:
- Cerebral hemispheres - migraine attacks, nausea, vomiting. Floating neoplasms in the form of bubbles interfere with a healthy metabolism and free outflow of fluids, which leads to an increase in intracranial pressure.
- The fourth ventricle of the brain - headaches and nausea are accompanied by malfunctions in the functioning of the heart and respiratory organs.
- The base of the brain is visual impairment, partial hearing loss, pain in the neck, failure of certain parts of the body.
- Mixed localization - severe convulsive conditions, mental disorders, hallucinations, delusional phenomena.
Pathogenic effects of pathogens on the human body
Cysticercosis in humans primarily leads to mechanical pressure of growing parasites on body tissue. The result is a violation of blood circulation, damage to nerve fibers.
Helminths vital products cause the development of inflammatory processes. Against the background of such pathogenic effects in the brain area, an ideal environment is created for the formation of encephalitis, meningitis, hydrocephalus.
Some danger is thoughtless treatment of cysticercosis of the brain. In the case of a sharp use of a complex of potent drugs, mass death of helminths can be observed. Decomposition of particles of parasite bodies in the human body can lead to anaphylactic shock.
Diagnostics
Diagnosing brain cysticercosis is a daunting task. The difficulty is the presence of symptoms that, to one degree or another, correspond to the nature of the course of other diseases. To confirm suspicions of cysticercosis of the brain, doctors rely on the following symptoms:
- increased intracranial pressure;
- irritation of tissues of organs and systems;
- change of severe conditions for prolonged periods of well-being.
It reveals brain cysticercosis MRI. Radiographic data make it possible to recognize helminth larvae in the structure of tissues. Often, for diagnostic purposes, doctors resort to a fence for a blood test from cerebrospinal fluid, where parasitic waste products are noted.
Micropreparation also allows diagnosing the disease. Cysticercosis of the brain in this case is determined by creating favorable conditions for the life of the pathogen in the laboratory. Human body fluids are placed in special bowls, which are under observation for some time.
Antiparasitic treatment
As noted above, cerebral cysticercosis should be treated with pharmacological agents with extreme caution. Indeed, the death of a large number of helminths is a danger to human health and life. In this regard, severe allergic reactions can develop, which are formed under the influence of the decay of the body of the parasite larvae.
Therapy using pharmacological agents of an antiparasitic spectrum of activity is carried out exclusively in a hospital. During treatment, the patient is prescribed to take such drugs as Mebendazole, Praziquantel, Albendazole. To completely cleanse the body of helminths, doctors prescribe the passage of several consecutive courses of therapy, between which intervals of 2-3 weeks are carried out.
Symptomatic therapy
Symptomatic treatment for cysticercosis of the brain involves taking medications whose active substances help eliminate inflammatory processes, prevent convulsive conditions, and reduce intracranial pressure. For these purposes, the patient is prescribed corticosteroids, such as Dexamethasone or Prednisolone. These pharmacological formulations are injected into the human body in the form of injections of 6 mg per day.
Patients with convulsive syndromes may be prescribed drugs such as Dilantin and Tegretol. Naturally, taking such medicines is necessary only with the approval of a doctor. Self-medication with cysticercosis can lead to the most unforeseen consequences.
Surgical intervention
Treatment of cysticercosis with the help of an operation becomes possible only if the exact location of helminths that parasitize on body tissues is identified. Such decisions are resorted to if there is no risk of damage to the functional areas of the brain. In situations where there are no absolute guarantees of the safety of surgical intervention and complete recovery, resort to conservative therapy.
ethnoscience
To prevent the development of cysticercosis and lead to the death of helminth larvae potentially makes it possible to use traditional medicine, which differ in antiparasitic properties. First of all, we are talking about the use of pumpkin seeds. The product contains substances that slow down the activity of adult cestodoses in the human body. At the same time, eating pumpkin seeds does not allow to cope with the concentration in the tissues of the parasite eggs, from which the larvae develop.
Anyway, for the purposes of treatment and prevention, it is enough to use the following recipe:
- Pumpkin seeds are carefully rubbed.
- The raw materials combine with a little digested soda.
- The composition is supplemented with natural honey.
Such a medicine is taken on an empty stomach.
Prevention
The following actions will help to avoid the development of cysticercosis:
- Compliance with generally accepted hygiene rules. It is worth noting the washing of hands before each meal using soap or disinfectants. Similarly, you should act after visiting the bathroom.
- Periodic visits to the doctor for a comprehensive examination of the body.
- Refusal to eat unwashed, thermally unprocessed food. This is especially true for meat of pigs and wild boars, as well as vegetables collected on land that were processed with natural fertilizer in the form of humus.
- Inspection of animal meat for the presence of larvae of pork tapeworm before cooking.
- Buying food in natural markets only if sellers have a certificate of sanitary control.
Likely Consequences
Positive forecasts for a return to a healthy life after infection with a pork chain depend on the extent of helminth damage to body tissues. As a rule, with significant invasions of the areas of the brain that are responsible for the functioning of the organs of vision and hearing, a partial deterioration in their functioning is observed. Patients who have undergone a similar infection with parasites require long-term treatment and need to be followed up by a doctor. Often, the recovery of the body occurs throughout life.
A fatal outcome with cysticercosis of the brain can occur only due to the development of convulsive conditions, epileptic seizures, as well as the accumulation of an abundant amount of fluid under the cranium.
The consequence of the disease in a neglected form is a decrease in disability and the general activity of a person. The trouble is that the course of the disease is often accompanied by an increase in intracranial pressure. Against the background of the pathological phenomenon, chronic migraine attacks form, the patient's psyche suffers.
Conclusion
So we found out what brain cysticercosis is, highlighted the characteristic symptoms, and also figured out how the treatment of the disease occurs. As you can see, damage to the body by larvae of pork tapeworm can cause a number of dangerous consequences. To avoid troubles, it is important to resort to prevention and exercise caution in contact with potential pathogens of the disease.