Neurological complications of cysticercosis in Africans: a clinical and serological study

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Abstract
Of 72 African patients with neurological or mental disorder of obscure aetiology, the cysticercosis haemagglutlnatlon test was positive in the sera of 38. Three patients, although serologlcally negative, had other evidence of cysticercosis. Of the 41 patients with serological or other evidence of the disease, 19 presented with focal neurological lesions, 10 with mental disorder, and 12 with raised intracranial pressure. The clinical presentations and the cerebrosplnal-fluid findings are analysed. Eoslnophllla was present in 9 out of 29 patients and intestinal tapeworm infection in 8 out of 24. The cysticercosis haemag-glutination test is of diagnostic value in neurological cysticercosis, and the present findings suggest that cysticercosis may be an important cause of obscure neurological and mental disorder in Africans. Serological surveys of African mental and epileptic hospitals are indicated.

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