Neurocysticercosis in nonendemic countries: Time for a reappraisal

摘要

The cystic larvae of Taenia solium frequently invade the human nervous system and cause neurocysticercosis (NCC). Infection occurs when humans ingest tapeworm eggs from a Taenia carrier through the fecal-oral route, and become intermediate hosts of this cestode. Highly endemic in Latin America, sub-Sa-haran Africa, the Indian Subcontinent and Southern Asia, NCC also became increasingly recognized in nonendemic countries during the past decades and is currently considered the most common helminthic infection of the nervous system and a leading cause of acquired epilepsy worldwide [1]. NCC in nonendemic countries may be locally acquired or may occur in immigrants from - or travelers to - endemic areas [2, 3]. Locally acquired NCC occurs in persons who are in close contact with an asymptomatic Taenia carrier. Human cysticercosis is mostly transmitted from person to person, and the role of infected swine is to perpetuate the infection. While swine husbandry is adequate in nonendemic countries (or nonexistent, in the case of Israel and the Arab World), T. solium carriers entering these countries may cause new autochthonous cases of NCC without the need of infected swine.