Cysticercosis of the central nervous system and cerebrospinal fluid immunodiagnosis of 1573 patients in 63 years (1929-1992)

Abstract

Attention given to prophylaxis of neurocysiticercosis (NC) is far beyond minimal needs among several regions of the in-development world, and for this reason incidence of the disease persists high among them. This investigation was carried out to show the extent of the problem by analysing the incidence of NC in a region of Brazil (São Paulo). CSF immunodiagnosis of NC by detecting antibodies to Cysticercus cellulosae in a neurodiag-nostics laboratory is evaluated for this purpose. Cases studied in a 63-year period (1929-1992) are reviewed. Total cases in this period is 139,000, and for 1,573 (1.13%) diagnosis is NC. Special characteristics were not detected for colour and sex prevalence. Age bracket prevalence is from 21 to 40 years old (55.3%) high rates occurring for women between 21 to 30 years old, and for men between 31 to 40. Cases distribution in five consecutive decades (1942-1991) shows no decreasing tendency: average incidence is 1% for the 50 years, and it is over this average for the last three decades. Data confirm that incidence continues expressively high throughout the 50 years covered by this study.