Silent Intruder: Unusual Presentation of Neurocysticercosis in an HIV-Infected Patient from the Far Northern Brazilian Amazon

Medicina (Kaunas). 2024 Mar 16;60(3):489. doi: 10.3390/medicina60030489.

Abstract

Neurocysticercosis, a parasitic infection of the central nervous system (CNS), is a significant public health issue globally, including in Brazil. This article presents a case report of a 44-year-old male patient residing in the rural area of Roraima, the northernmost region of Brazil within the Amazon Forest. The patient, with chronic HIV infection, acquired the Taenia solium helminth, resulting in neurocysticercosis development. Remarkably, the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis was not initially apparent but emerged through meticulous analysis following a motorcycle accident. The absence of seizures, a common clinical manifestation, complicated the diagnostic process, making it an uncommon case of NCC, which may be related to co-infection. As the patient's condition progressed, multiple complications arose, requiring additional medical attention and interventions. This case underscores the immense challenges faced by healthcare teams in managing neurocysticercosis effectively. It emphasizes the critical need for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to provide optimal care for such complex cases. The study's findings underscore the importance of raising awareness and implementing improved strategies for tackling neurocysticercosis, particularly in regions where it remains a prevalent concern.

Keywords: Amazon; Roraima; extraparenchymal manifestation; neurocysticercosis; parasitic infection; subarachnoid.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Brazil
  • Central Nervous System
  • HIV Infections* / complications
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neurocysticercosis* / complications
  • Neurocysticercosis* / diagnosis
  • Neurocysticercosis* / parasitology
  • Taenia solium*

Grants and funding

We thank Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, scholarship to MP n. 307184/2020-0), Fundação do Instituto de Biociências (FUNDIBIO, scholarship to EF n. 017/22), Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas (FAPEAM, scholarship to FC n. 01.02.016301.01070/2023-13), and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP, São Paulo Research Foundation).