Imported cysticercosis in Spain: A retrospective case series from the +REDIVI Collaborative Network
Zaida Herrador, José A. Pérez‐Molina, César Henríquez-Camacho, Azucena Rodríguez-Guardado, Pau Bosch‐Nicolau, Eva Calabuig, Ángel Domínguez-Castellano, María Asunción Pérez-Jacoiste, María Concepción Ladrón de Guevara, A. Mena, José Manuel Ruiz‐Giardín, Diego Torrús, Philip Wikman‐Jorgensen, Agustín Benito, Rogelio López‐Vélez, Paloma Aguilera, María Martínez Serrano, Magdalena García Rodríguez, Marta Díaz‐Menéndez, Yolanda Meije, Joaquim Martínez-Montauti, X. Sanz, Isabel Pacheco Tenza, Inmaculada González Cuello, Belén Martínez López, Jara Llenas‐García, Mar Masiá, Sergio Padilla, Mónica Romero, José Manuel Ramos, I García Suárez, Ana Pérez‐Ayala, Juan María Herrero‐Martínez, Manuel Lizasoaín, Pablo Rojo, Mariano Matarranz, Carlos Zarco, Jonathan Fernández-Suárez, Jose Antonio Boga Ribeiro, Josune Goikoetxea Aguirre, Miren Zuriñe Zubero Sulibarría, Juan Victor Sanmartín López, María Velasco Arribas, María Peñaranda Vera, Israel Molina, Adrián Sánchez Montalvá, Fernando Salvador, Begoña Monge‐Maíllo, Francesca Norman, Sandra Chamorro Tojeiro, Begoña Treviño‐Maruri, Núria Serre‐Delcor, Antoni Soriano‐Arandes, Diana Pou Ciruelo, Cristina Bocanegra
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most common parasitic neurological disease worldwide and a major cause of epilepsy. Spain is the country reporting the highest number of NCC imported cases in Europe. METHODOLOGY: Retrospective case series of NCC patients registered in the +REDIVI Network from October 1, 2009 to July 2018. A specific questionnaire, including clinical and diagnostic characteristics, was created and sent to the collaborator centers. RESULTS: 46 cases were included in the analysis. 55% were male, mean age of 40 years. 95.6% were migrants. The median duration since migration from an endemic area was 10 years. Predominant nationalities were Ecuadorians (50%) and Bolivians (30.4%). Frequent locations were parenchymal (87%), subarachnoid (26.1%) and intraventricular cysts (10.9%). Serological analysis was performed in 91.3%, being 54.8% positive. Most prevalent clinical manifestations were persistent headache (60.9%), epilepsy (43.5%) and visual changes (13%). Patients were mainly treated with albendazole (76.1%), corticosteroids (67.4%), and anticonvulsionants (52.2%). 82.5% had a favorable clinical outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Most NCC cases were long-standing migrants. Few clinical differences were observed depending on the cysticerci location. The treatment was often not according to current recommendations, and no uniform criteria were followed when it came to the therapeutic regimen. NCC case management in Spain (including clinician awareness and laboratory capacity improvements) needs to be strengthened.