What is cysticercosis of the brain? 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 that develops when the larvae of the tapeworm penetrate the cerebral tissues of the body. Here neoplasms are formed in the form of bubbles filled with liquid. Cestodoses are concentrated inside. These are small parasites that attach their heads to tissues, poisoning the brain with their own waste products. These larvae develop into adult helminths over time.
Disease spread
The most common cases of cerebral cysticercosis are observed in Latin America, Asia and Africa. In the European part, the disease affects mainly the population living in regions with developedpig breeding. There are no gender differences in incidence. However, adults are much more likely to become infected with tapeworm larvae than children.
Mechanism of infection
There are several ways of infection with the causative agent of cysticercosis of the brain: external and internal. In the first case, the parasite larvae enter the human body from the external environment. Most often, this leads to non-observance of elementary 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 the processes that can occur in the human gastrointestinal tract. For example, with the urge to vomit, the contents of the intestine, in which the segments of the body of an adult parasite are concentrated, are thrown back into the stomach. In this way, helminth eggs are released, spread throughout the body by the bloodstream, and enter the brain tissue.
The cycle of development of the pork tapeworm
The disease develops as a result of parasite larvae entering the human body. When parasitic pathogens find themselves in the digestive organs, their membranes are destroyed. This leads to the impact on them of the acidic environment of gastric juices. Further, the cycle of development of the pork tapeworm continues already in the structure of the blood, 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 andpenetrate the brain.
After fixing in the tissues of the human body, larvae are formed, which are transformed 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 self-fertilize. From the eggs of the parasite, worms are formed that 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, cysticercosis of pigs occurs. Accordingly, helminth eggs penetrate into their body. Helminth embryos enter the circulatory system through the tissues of the organs. This is where their metamorphoses take place. The result is the formation of finns - small bubbles filled with a colorless liquid.
If cysticercosis in pigs continues to develop, these peculiar larvae grow heads. They contain several hooks and suckers, which help parasites to attach to the tissues of the internal organs of the animal. When Finns enter the human body, the cycle of helminth development repeats.
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;
- weak sensitivity;
- appearance of convulsive conditions resembling epileptic seizures;
- in rare cases, there are hallucinations, loss of orientation in space.
Based on the localization of the parasite larvae, a number of additional symptoms may occur:
- Large hemispheres of the brain - migraine attacks, nausea, vomiting. Floating growths in the form of bubbles interfere with a he althy metabolism and free outflow of fluids, which leads to an increase in intracranial pressure.
- The fourth ventricle of the brain - headaches and bouts of nausea are accompanied by malfunctions in the functioning of the heart and respiratory organs.
- Foundation of the brain - visual impairment, partial hearing loss, pain in the back of the head, failure of certain parts of the body.
- Mixed localization - severe convulsive conditions, mental disorders, hallucinations, delusions.
Pathogenic effects of pathogens on the human body
Cysticercosis in humans primarily leads to mechanical pressure of growing parasites on body tissues. The result is a violation of blood circulation, damage to nerve fibers.
The waste products of helminths cause the development of inflammatory processes. Against the background of such a pathogenic effect in the brain area, an ideal environment is created for the formation of encephalitis, meningitis, hydrocephalus.
Some danger is the rash treatment of cysticercosis of the brain. In the case of a sharp use of a complex of potent drugs, it mayobserved mass death of helminths. The decomposition of body parts of parasites in the human body can lead to anaphylactic shock.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing cysticercosis of the brain is not an easy 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 cerebral cysticercosis, doctors rely on the following signs:
- increased intracranial pressure;
- irritation of tissues of organs and systems;
- replacement of severe conditions by protracted periods of well-being.
Allows to detect cysticercosis of the brain MRI. X-ray data make it possible to recognize helminth larvae in the tissue structure. Often, in order to diagnose, doctors resort to blood sampling from the cerebrospinal fluid, where the waste products of parasites are noted.
Diagnostic disease also allows micropreparation. Cysticercosis of the brain in this case is determined by creating favorable conditions for the life of the pathogen in the laboratory. A person's bodily fluids are placed in special bowls, which are monitored for some time.
Antiparasitic treatment
As noted above, cysticercosis of the brain should be treated with pharmacological drugs very carefully. Indeed, for human he alth and life, the death of a largethe number of helminths. 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 with the use of pharmacological agents of the antiparasitic spectrum of action is carried out exclusively in a hospital setting. During treatment, the patient is prescribed to take drugs such as Mebendazole, Praziquantel, Albendazole. To completely cleanse the body of helminths, doctors prescribe the passage of several consecutive courses of therapy, between which there are intervals of 2-3 weeks.
Symptomatic therapy
Symptomatic treatment for cerebral cysticercosis involves taking drugs whose active ingredients 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 compounds are administered to the human body in the form of injections of 6 mg per day.
Patients who have convulsive syndromes may be prescribed drugs such as Dilantin and Tegretol. Naturally, it is necessary to take such medicines only with the approval of a doctor. Self-medication for cysticercosis can lead to the most unforeseen consequences.
Surgery
Treatment of cysticercosis through surgerybecomes possible only if the exact location of the helminths that parasitize on body tissues is identified. Such solutions 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, they resort to conservative therapy.
Traditional medicine
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 vital activity of adult cestodosis in the human body. At the same time, eating pumpkin seeds does not allow coping with the concentration of parasite eggs in the tissues, from which the larvae develop.
Be that as it may, for the purposes of treatment and prevention, it is enough to use the following recipe:
- Pumpkin seeds are thoroughly ground.
- The raw material is combined with a small amount of digested soda.
- Natural honey is added to the composition.
This medicine is taken on an empty stomach.
Prevention
To avoid the development of cysticercosis will allow the following actions:
- Compliance with generally accepted hygiene rules. Here it is worth noting washing hands before each meal with the use of soap or disinfectants. The same should be done after visitingbathroom.
- Periodic visits to the doctor for a comprehensive examination of the state of the body.
- Refuse to eat unwashed, thermally unprocessed foods. This is especially true for the meat of pigs and wild boars, as well as vegetables collected on land, which were processed with natural fertilizer in the form of humus.
- Inspection of animal meat for the presence of tapeworm larvae before cooking.
- Buying food in spontaneous markets only if the sellers have a certificate of passing sanitary control.
Probable Consequences
Positive forecasts for a return to a he althy life after infection with tapeworm depend on the volume of damage to body tissues by helminths. As a rule, with significant invasions of brain regions that are responsible for the functioning of the organs of vision and hearing, there is a partial deterioration in their functioning. Patients who have been subjected to such infestation with parasites require long-term treatment and need follow-up care by a physician. Often, the recovery of the body occurs throughout life.
Lethal outcome in cysticercosis of the brain can occur only due to the development of convulsive conditions, epileptic seizures, as well as the accumulation of copious amounts of fluid under the cranium.
The consequence of a disease in advanced form is a decrease in working capacity and general activity of a person. The trouble is due to the fact that the course of the disease is often accompanied by an increase in intracranialpressure. Against the background of a pathological phenomenon, chronic migraine attacks are formed, the patient's psyche suffers.
Conclusion
So we found out what cysticercosis of the brain is, identified the characteristic symptoms, and also figured out how the disease is treated. As you can see, the defeat of the body by the larvae of the pork tapeworm can cause a number of dangerous consequences. To avoid trouble, it is important to resort to prevention and be careful when contacting potential pathogens.
