Home Remedies for CYSTICERCOSIS

CYSTICERCOSIS (SIS-tuh-sir-KO-sis)

 

Cysticercosis: An infectious disease caused by the pork tapeworm Taenia solium. If the larvae are ingested then a mild or asymptomatic tapeworm infection occurs. However, ingested eggs pass into the bloodstream where they can then enter various tissues and form the cysts that characterize cysticercosis.

 

 

Types of Cysticercosis

 

The list of types of Cysticercosis mentioned in various sources includes:

• Muscle Cysticercosis
• Eye Cysticercosis
• Neurocysticercosis - affecting brain and CNS

List of symptoms of Cysticercosis:

 

The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Cysticercosis includes the 28 symptoms listed below:

• Muscle Cysticercosis symptoms:

• No symptoms - in some cases
• Lumps under your skin

• Eye cysticercosis symptoms:

• Blurry vision
• Disturbed vision
• Retinal swelling
• Retinal detachment

• Neurocysticercosis symptoms:

• Seizures
• Headaches
• Confusion
• Lack of attention to people and surroundings
• Difficulty with balance
• Swelling of the brain (hydrocephalus)
• Sudden death

• Brain cysts
• Eye cysts
• Cysts
• Seizures brain infection
• Headache brain infection
• Transient neurological deficits brain infection
• Psychosis brain infection
• Vision disturbance eye infection
• Uveitis eye infection
• Retinitis eye infection
• Myopathy muscle infection
• Skeletal muscle cysts

Note that Cysticercosis symptoms usually refers to various symptoms known to a patient, but the phrase Cysticercosis signs may refer to those signs only noticable by a doctor.

 

 

Complications list for Cysticercosis:

 

The list of complications that have been mentioned in various sources for Cysticercosis includes:

 

Complications and sequelae of Cysticercosis from the Diseases Database include:

• Fits
• Myositis
• Oligoclonal bands (CSF)
• Ectopic calcification
• Intracranial calcification
• Aseptic meningitis
• Subcutaneous nodules
• Cysticercosis

Tests and diagnosis discussion for Cysticercosis:
 

Diagnosis can be difficult and may require several testing methods. Your health care provider will ask you about where you have traveled and your eating habits. Diagnosis of neurocysticercosis is usually made by MRI or CT brain scans. Blood tests are available to help diagnose an infection, but may not always be accurate. If surgery is necessary, confirmation of the diagnosis can be made by the laboratory.

 

What are the signs of Cysticercosis?

 

The phrase "signs of Cysticercosis" should, strictly speaking, refer only to those signs and symptoms of Cysticercosis that are not readily apparent to the patient. The word "symptoms of Cysticercosis" is the more general meaning;

 

The signs and symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Cysticercosis. This medical information about signs and symptoms for Cysticercosis has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Cysticercosis signs or Cysticercosis symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Cysticercosis may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Cysticercosis symptoms.

 

Causes of Cysticercosis

 

The follow list shows some of the possible medical causes of Cysticercosis

Taeniasis: Causes

T. saginata, T. solium, and D. latum are transmitted to humans by ingestion of beef, pork, or fish that contains tapeworm cysts. Gastric acids break down these cysts in the stomach, liberating them to mature. Mature tapeworms fasten to the intestinal wall and produce ova that are passed in the feces. Transmission of H. nana is direct from person to person and requires no intermediate host; it completes its life cycle in the intestine.

Risk Factors for Cysticercosis

 

Risk factors for Cysticercosis are factors that do not seem to be a direct cause of the disease, but seem to be associated in some way. Having a risk factor for Cysticercosis makes the chances of getting a condition higher but does not always lead to Cysticercosis. Also, the absence of any risk factors or having a protective factor does not necessarily guard you against getting Cysticercosis.

 

The list of risk factors mentioned for Cysticercosis in various sources includes:

• Eating pork
• International travel
• Developing countries
• Poor hygiene
• Drinking contaminated water or food
• Undercooked pork

 

Is Cysticercosis Contagious?

 

By accidentally swallowing pork tapeworm eggs. Tapeworm eggs are passed in the bowel movement of a person who is infected. These tapeworm eggs are spread through food, water, or surfaces contaminated with feces. This can happen by drinking contaminated water or food, or by putting contaminated fingers to your mouth. A person who has a tapeworm infection can reinfect themselves (autoinfection). Once inside the stomach, the tapeworm egg hatches, penetrates the intestine, travels through the bloodstream and may develop into cysticerci in the muscles, brain, or eyes.

 

Cysticercosis is not spread from person to person. However, a person infected with the intestinal tapeworm stage of the infection (T. solium) will shed tapeworm eggs in their bowel movements. Tapeworm eggs that are accidentally swallowed by another person can cause infection.

 

About contagion and contagiousness:

 

Contagion and contagiousness refers to how easily the spread of Cysticercosis is possible from one person to another. Other words for contagion include "infection", "infectiousness", "transmission" or "transmissability". Contagiousness has nothing to do with genetics or inheriting diseases from parents.

Treatment list for Cysticercosis:

The list of treatments mentioned in various sources for Cysticercosis includes the following list. Always seek professional medical advice about any treatment or change in treatment plans.

• Anti-parasitic drugs
• Anti-imflammatory drugs
• Eye surgery
• No treatment - not all cases require treatment

Taeniasis: Treatment

 

The drug of choice for tapeworm infection is niclosamide, but praziquantel and albendazole can also be used.

Laxative use or induced vomiting are contraindicated because of the danger of autoinfection and systemic disease.

After drug treatment, tapeworm infestation requires a follow-up laboratory examination of stool specimens during the next 3 to 5 weeks to check for any remaining ova or worm segments. Persistent infestation typically requires a second course of medication.

 

Alternative Treatments for Cysticercosis

• Praziquantel
• Cesol
• Cisticid
• Biltricide

Always check with your doctor before using any alternative or complementary treatment, or before stopping any other treatment to use alternative approaches. Some treatments may be of dubious value, and certain alternative treatments can be dangerous in some cases.

 

 

Qs and Ans

 

What is cysticercosis?

Cysticercosis is an infection caused by the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. Infection occurs when the tapeworm larvae enter the body and form cysticerci (SIS-tuh-sir-KEY) (cysts). When cysticerci are found in the brain, the condition is called neurocysticercosis (NEW-row SIS-tuh-sir-KO-sis).

Where is cysticercosis found?

The tapeworm that causes cysticercosis is found worldwide. Infection is found most often in rural, developing countries with poor hygiene where pigs are allowed to roam freely and eat human feces. This allows the tapeworm infection to be completed and the cycle to continue. Infection can occur, though rarely, if you have never traveled outside of the United States. Taeniasis and cysticercosis are very rare in Muslim countries where eating pork is forbidden.

How can I get cysticercosis?

By accidentally swallowing pork tapeworm eggs. Tapeworm eggs are passed in the bowel movement of a person who is infected. These tapeworm eggs are spread through food, water, or surfaces contaminated with feces. This can happen by drinking contaminated water or food, or by putting contaminated fingers to your mouth. A person who has a tapeworm infection can reinfect themselves (autoinfection). Once inside the stomach, the tapeworm egg hatches, penetrates the intestine, travels through the bloodstream and may develop into cysticerci in the muscles, brain, or eyes.

What are the signs and symptoms of cysticercosis?

Signs and symptoms will depend on the location and number of cysticerci in your body.

Cysticerci in the muscles:

Cysticerci in the muscles generally do not cause symptoms. However, you may be able to feel lumps under your skin.

Cysticerci in the eyes:

Although rare, cysticerci may float in the eye and cause blurry or disturbed vision. Infection in the eyes may cause swelling or detachment of the retina.

Neurocysticercosis (cysticerci in the brain, spinal cord):

Symptoms of neurocysticercosis depend upon where and how many cysticerci (often called lesions) are found in the brain. Seizures, and headaches are the most common symptoms. However, confusion, lack of attention to people and surroundings, difficulty with balance, swelling of the brain (called hydrocephalus) may also occur. Death can occur suddenly with heavy infections.

How long will I be infected before symptoms begin?

Symptoms can occur months to years after infection, usually when the cysts are in the process of dying. When this happens, the brain can swell. The pressure caused by swelling is what causes most of the symptoms of neurocysticercosis. Most people with cysticerci in muscles won’t have symptoms of infection.

How is cysticercosis diagnosed?

Diagnosis can be difficult and may require several testing methods. Your health care provider will ask you about where you have traveled and your eating habits. Diagnosis of neurocysticercosis is usually made by MRI or CT brain scans. Blood tests are available to help diagnose an infection, but may not always be accurate. If surgery is necessary, confirmation of the diagnosis can be made by the laboratory.

What should I do if I think I have cysticercosis?

See your health care provider.

Is there treatment for cysticercosis?

Yes. Infections are generally treated with anti-parasitic drugs in combination with anti-imflammatory drugs. Surgery is sometimes necessary to treat cases in the eyes, cases that are not responsive to drug treatment, or to reduce brain edema (swelling). Not all cases of cysticercosis are treated.

I have been diagnosed with neurocysticercosis. My health care provider has decided not to treat me. How was this decision made?

Often, the decision of whether or not to treat neurocysticercosis is based upon the number of lesions found in the brain and the symptoms you have. When only one lesion is found, often treatment is not given. If you have more than one lesion, specific anti-parasitic treatment is generally recommended.

 

If the brain lesion is considered calcified (this means that a hard shell has formed around the tapeworm larvae), the cysticerci is considered dead and specific anti-parasitic treatment is not beneficial.

 

As the cysticerci die, the lesion will shrink. The swelling will go down, and often symptoms (such as seizures) will go away.

Can infection be spread from person to person?

No. Cysticercosis is not spread from person to person. However, a person infected with the intestinal tapeworm stage of the infection (T. solium) will shed tapeworm eggs in their bowel movements. Tapeworm eggs that are accidentally swallowed by another person can cause infection.

Should I be tested for an intestinal tapeworm infection?

Yes. Family members may also be tested. Because the tapeworm infection can be difficult to diagnose, your health care provider may ask you to submit several stool specimens over several days or to examine your stools for evidence of a tapeworm.

How can I prevent cysticercosis and other disease causing germs?

• Avoid eating raw or undercooked pork and other meats.
• Don’t eat meat of pigs that are likely to be infected with the tapeworm.
• Wash hands with soap and water after using the toilet and before handling food, especially when traveling in developing countries.
• Wash and peel all raw vegetables and fruits before eating. Avoid food that may be contaminated with feces.
• Drink only bottled or boiled (1 minute) water or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. Do not drink fountain drinks or any drinks with ice cubes. Another way to make water safe is by filtering it through an "absolute 1 micron or less" filter AND dissolving iodine tablets in the filtered water. "Absolute 1 micron" filters can be found in camping/outdoor supply stores.