Cysticercosis Of The Brain, Eyes: Symptoms And Treatment, Which Is Effective

Cysticercosis of the brain is a serious disease. It is characterized by vivid symptoms depending on the location of the parasite cysts.

Content

• 1 About the parasite
• 2 Ways of infection
• 3 Symptoms
• 4 Brain damage
• 5 Eye damage
• 6 Diagnostics

• 7 Treatment

  • 7.1 More about treatment methods
  • 7.2 Traditional medicine
  • 7.3 Preventive measures

About the parasite

What is cysticercosis? The causative agent is a tapeworm (pork) larva called a Finn. It is a small bubble filled with a clear liquid. The shape is ovoid. Inside there is a head with suction cups, rims and hooks. The size of the larva is small - from 4 to 16 mm.

The parasite can live in the host's body for 5 to 20 years. There are rare cases of parasitism in humans for about 30 years.

Infection routes

The parasite can enter the host's body in only two ways. Internal and external are the so-called infection mechanisms. In what cases does external infection occur:

• direct contact with soil that is infected with parasites;
• non-compliance with the basic recommendations for working with laboratory equipment;
• eating unwashed vegetables and fruits;
• neglect of the rules of personal hygiene.

With internal infection, the tapeworm discards the segments with the contents from the intestines with the stomach. Further in the stomach, the larvae emerge from the membranes under the action of enzymes of gastric juice. This stage is usually called helminthic invasion, since a huge number of larvae are immediately released.

Symptoms

Cysticercosis is one of the many types of helminthiasis. The symptoms of cysticercosis may vary. This phenomenon is due to the localization of the Finns.

In this case, the human body can react in different ways. It is customary to highlight the general signs of the disease, regardless of the location of the parasite:

• disability;
• asthenia;
• allergic manifestations;
• frequent fainting;
• the development of anemia;
• deterioration of vision;
• amnesia;
• muscle pain.

Brain damage

Cysticercosis of the brain is characterized by the appearance of foci of inflammation in the tissue. Cysticercus parasitizes the tissue that surrounds the brain and the surrounding membranes. In turn, this is the cause of the development of edema. Over time, fluid begins to accumulate in the tissues of the brain.

The mild course of the disease is accompanied by disorders. A person is not able to correctly respond to irritating factors from the environment. With multiple foci, the symptoms become more pronounced. In most cases, epileptic seizures appear.

Swelling of the brain is manifested by symptoms such as:

• dizziness;
• headaches;
• fear of light;
• vomiting.

In especially severe cases, there is a violation of the heart. The patient complains of partial loss of vision, shortness of breath and memory loss.

Eye damage

Cysticercosis of the eyes occurs as often as cysticercosis of the brain. The clinical picture is slightly different. Common symptoms often include:

1. Retinitis. When inflammation of the retina of the eye occurs, the disease proceeds without any symptoms. In some cases, a decrease in visual acuity is noted;
2. Uveitis. The choroid becomes inflamed. A person complains of redness, burning and tearing;
3. Conjunctivitis. With this disease, the mucous membrane of the eye becomes inflamed. The person notes pain, burning and itching. Due to a strong swelling, lacrimation appears. As a result, visual acuity is reduced, and the person can become completely blind.

The progression of the disease can cause the atrophy of the eyeball

Diagnostics

To determine the condition, the patient must be examined by a doctor and pass the necessary tests to make the correct diagnosis. It is customary to distinguish the following diagnostic methods:

1. Blood test. There is an increased number of eosinophils;
2. X-rays of light. Locations with larvae appear as dark spots in the image;
3. Cerebrospinal fluid examination. The level of neutrophils and lymphocytes is increased;
4. A blood test for antibodies;
5. Examination by an ophthalmologist;
6. Biopsy of muscle tissue and skin.

Treatment

Treatment of cysticercosis is a difficult period that can take a very long time. This is due to the location of the parasites. After a thorough examination and study of all analyzes, the specialist prescribes treatment with medication. The patient must be hospitalized.

In special cases, surgery may be necessary. The prognosis is favorable in cases of damage to the skin and subcutaneous tissue.

Treatment of the disease should be carried out only by medical specialists. Another necessary condition is hospitalization

More about treatment methods

Antiparasitic therapy

The doctor prescribes antiparasitic drugs with extreme caution. After the death of the parasite, its products disintegrate, as a result of which anaphylactic shock may develop. This treatment is carried out only under the supervision of a doctor.

Cysticercosis of the brain is treated with medications, if the patient is contraindicated in surgery. The following drugs are prescribed: Mebendazole, Praziquantel, Albendazole. The course of treatment should be 3 stages, one week for each, taking into account the break time. When muscles are affected by parasites, it is not customary to treat the disease if the patient does not show symptoms. In this case, dynamic observation is used.

Surgical intervention

This method of treatment is usually carried out only if specialists have identified a clear site of infection and can remove it without causing any harm to the patient's health. If this is not enough, then therapy is supplemented with a conservative treatment. The doctor can monitor the patient's condition by prescribing antiparasitic agents.

If therapy with anthelmintic drugs is chosen as a treatment, they should be supplemented with glucocorticosteroids

Symptomatic treatment

This type of treatment is used as an adjunct to the main antiparasitic therapy. A person with cysticercosis is also prescribed antihistamines:

• Zodak;
• Suprastin;
• Zyrtec;
• Pipolfen.

After treatment, the patient must pass an analysis to detect the parasite and its larvae. This will help determine the effectiveness of the chosen treatment.

ethnoscience

A disease such as cysticercosis is treated with two methods: surgical or medication.

Traditional medicine will help get rid of an adult, but will not affect the larvae in any way.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin seeds have long been considered one of the best ways to fight helminths, regardless of their type. There are a huge number of recipes for the preparation of a medicinal product. Decoctions are prepared from the seeds, and tinctures are made from the peel. It is also customary to eat a handful of peeled seeds.

After consumption, it is recommended to drink a laxative, and even later do an enema. This is necessary in order to remove the waste products of the pork tapeworm from the human body as quickly as possible.

Walnut

Cysticercosis in humans, in addition to pumpkin, can also be treated with walnuts. A simple and affordable product has a lightning effect on parasites, removing them from the body. For cooking, you need only green fruits, or rather, their shells.

Alcohol or any other similar alcoholic beverage is also taken as an additional ingredient. After several days of preparation, the tincture is consumed, maintaining a strict dosage.

Acacia

Medicinal tinctures are made from acacia flowers for the treatment of cysticercosis. Fresh flowers are poured with alcohol and placed in a dark place for a week. During this time, a special liquid will be obtained, which must be drunk only on a bare stomach.

Regardless of the method of treatment chosen, there is one important rule to remember. The segments of the tapeworm can come off. With its suction cups, it attaches to the intestinal wall and continues to parasitize, despite the lost parts of the body. Therefore, it is important to wait for the parasite head to come out.

Preventive measures

Cysticercosis of the eyes is a disease that is practically untreated. Therefore, it is better to observe hygiene measures than to try to get rid of the parasite later:

1. The most important thing is personal hygiene. Hands should be washed thoroughly before eating, after outside, visiting public places and the toilet. When raising a child, you need to instill in him a love of hygiene;
2. Eat only pre-washed and prepared foods;
3. In no case should you eat raw meat and various dishes from it;
4. Before preparing meat food, evaluate the appearance in order to exclude suspicious areas.

The sanitary and veterinary supervision must monitor the food that reaches the seller's counters and then to the end consumer. Pork, beef and other meat products contaminated by the Finns should never end up on the buyers' table. Elementary adherence to the rules will save you from illness.