Article
Immunology
Javier A. Bustos, Gianfranco Arroyo, Robert H. Gilman, Percy Soto-Becerra, Isidro Gonzales, Herbert Saavedra, E. Javier Pretell, Theodore E. Nash, Seth E. O'Neal, Oscar H. Del Brutto, Armando E. Gonzalez, Hector H. Garcia
Summary: This study found that approximately 38% of parenchymal cysts in patients with neurocysticercosis calcify after antiparasitic treatment, with factors such as cyst size, baseline edema, and duration of seizures associated with calcification. Some factors associated with calcification are modifiable and may help reduce the risk of seizure relapses.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Ryan Ta, Benjamin N. Blond
Summary: Neurocysticercosis is a common cause of acquired epilepsy worldwide and is often associated with pigs as an intermediate host. This review explores its epidemiology and common risk factors in endemic regions across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Inadequate regulation of pig farms, poor sanitation, water contamination, and limited resources contribute to the prevalence of the disease. Effective limitation of neurocysticercosis can be achieved by addressing these common risk factors.
JOURNAL OF THE NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Han-Yu Zhang, Guo-Xing Wang, Yue-Yan Xing, Miao-Rong Xie
Summary: A 20-year-old female resident of Beijing accidentally ingested pork tapeworm eggs instead of the intended eggs for weight loss, resulting in a severe parasitic infection. After treatment, she fully recovered and remains in good health.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Alfredo Maldonado-Barrueco, Cristina Utrilla, Ana Hernandez-Gonzalez, Maria J. Perteguer, Beatriz Diaz-Pollan, Yeray Untoria-Tabares, Marta Diaz-Menendez, Iker Falces-Romero, Almudena Gutierrez-Arroyo, Julio Garcia-Rodriguez, Dolores Montero-Vega
Summary: We present a confirmed case of intraventricular neurocysticercosis in a migrant from Choluteca, Honduras, in Madrid, Spain, based on epidemiological, radiological, and microbiological criteria.
JOURNAL OF TRAVEL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Ines Zemmour, Marie-Fleur Durieux, Etienne Herault, Celia Rouges, Barbara Soba, Aurelien Mercier, Frederic Ariey, Pierre-Marie Preux, Helene Yera, Collaborators Group
Summary: This study evaluated the use of cerebrospinal fluid serology and PCR for diagnosing non-endemic neurocysticercosis. The results suggest that PCR testing has a certain effectiveness in diagnosing this disease.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel A. Andrade-Mogrovejo, Eloy Gonzales-Gustavson, Ana C. Ho-Palma, Joaquin M. Prada, Gabrielle Bonnet, Francesco Pizzitutti, Luis A. Gomez-Puerta, Gianfranco Arroyo, Seth E. O'Neal, Hector H. Garcia, Javier Guitian, Armando Gonzalez
Summary: This study systematically reviewed and analyzed pig infection experiments to evaluate the accuracy of dose-response models for Taenia solium cyst development. The exact beta-Poisson model was found to be the best fit for the data, providing important parameters for future experimental infections and transmission simulation models.
Article
Parasitology
Miguel A. Orrego, Manuela R. Verastegui, Carlos M. Vasquez, Hector H. Garcia, Theodore E. Nash
Summary: The study reveals that the proliferative growth of the bladder wall in racemose neurocysticercosis is associated with the insulin receptor-mediated MAPK signaling pathway. It is found that metformin inhibits this pathway, reducing cell proliferation and parasite growth. This discovery offers a new therapeutic approach for racemose neurocysticercosis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
L. Toribio, C. Guzman, S. Noazin, A. Zimic-Sheen, M. Zimic, I. Gonzales, H. Saavedra, E. J. Pretell, J. A. Bustos, S. Handali, H. H. Garcia
Summary: Neurocysticercosis is a common helminthic infection of the human central nervous system. We report a new immunoprint assay (MAPIA) that simplifies the detection process, reduces cost, and shows comparable accuracy and specificity to traditional methods.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
P. H. Espino, R. G. Couper, J. G. Burneo
Summary: Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a global public health problem and a preventable cause of epilepsy in developing countries. Epileptic seizures are the most common manifestation of NCC and can occur at any stage of the disease. The exact mechanisms underlying NCC-related epilepsy are still poorly understood, with potential explanations including direct causality, initial injury, external factors, and coincidence.
CLINICAL NEUROLOGY AND NEUROSURGERY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jason Labuschagne, John Frean, Kaajal Parbhoo, Denis Mutyaba, Tanyia Pillay, Shareen Boughan, Hlezikuhle Nkala
Summary: This case report presents the first documented case of disseminated subarachnoid coenurosis caused by T. serialis, a tapeworm species not typically associated with central nervous system infection. The patient initially presented with acute hydrocephalus and underwent emergency surgery. Despite prolonged treatment, the patient's condition continued to deteriorate and ultimately led to death. The case highlights the importance of accurate identification and understanding of coenurosis for proper diagnosis and management.
TROPICAL MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Yesenia Castillo, Luz M. M. Toribio, Carolina Guzman, Gianfranco Arroyo, Cindy Espinoza, Herbert Saavedra, Javier A. A. Bustos, Pierre Dorny, Seth E. E. O'Neal, Hector H. H. Garcia
Summary: This study compared the performance of two antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques for the detection of neurocysticercosis (NCC). The results showed that both ELISA techniques were able to detect antigen levels across different types of NCC and demonstrated high concordance. The B158/B60 antigen ELISA performed better in parenchymal and calcified NCC, while the TsW8/TsW5 antigen ELISA showed better detection in subarachnoid NCC.
Review
Microbiology
Oscar H. Del Brutto
Summary: Human cysticercosis is the most common helminthic infection of the CNS caused by Taenia solium. Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the infection of the CNS and meninges by the larval stage of Taenia solium. It can cause various manifestations such as seizures, headache, focal deficits, intracranial hypertension, or cognitive decline. Accurate diagnosis can be made by interpreting clinical data, neuroimaging studies, and immunological tests. Cysticidal drugs have improved the prognosis of NCC patients. Controlling all stages of the T. solium life cycle is essential for eradicating the disease.
Article
Neurosciences
Laura E. Baquedano, Edson G. Bernal, Daniel J. Carrion, Ana D. Delgado, Cesar M. Gavidia, Daniela E. Kirwan, Robert H. Gilman, Manuela R. Verastegui
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of neurocysticercosis on spatial working memory and its correlation with hippocampal neuronal density in a rat model. The results showed a significant decline in spatial working memory over a 1-year period in NCC-infected rats, along with a decrease in hippocampal neuronal density. This rat model provides valuable support for the relationship between neurocysticercosis and cognitive impairment.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Chenlong Yang, Tie Liu, Jian Wu, Jingcheng Xie, Tao Yu, Wenqing Jia, Jun Yang, Yulun Xu
Summary: This retrospective study analyzed the clinical manifestations, radiological features, treatment, and outcomes of seven patients with spinal cysticercosis. Spinal cysticercosis is an extremely rare cause of myelopathy, and characteristic MRI features can aid in preoperative diagnosis.
Article
Clinical Neurology
J. Bustos, I Gonzales, H. Saavedra, S. Handali, H. H. Garcia
Summary: Neurocysticercosis is endemic in most parts of the world and accounts for approximately 30% of epilepsy cases in endemic areas. Proper diagnosis and management require understanding the diverse presentations of the disease, which vary in clinical manifestations, sensitivity of diagnostic tests, and therapeutic approaches. This review aims to familiarize tropical neurology practitioners with the different types of neurocysticercosis and appropriate management strategies for each.
JOURNAL OF THE NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
S. Garfias, B. Tamaya Dominguez, A. Toledo Rojas, M. Arroyo, U. Rodriguez, C. Boll, A. L. Sosa, E. Sciutto, L. Adalid-Peralta, Y. Martinez Lopez, G. Fragoso, A. Fleury
Summary: This study evaluated the characteristics of peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with AD and PD, and their association with the diseases and their progression. The findings indicate that the phenotypes of lymphocytes in AD and PD patients change and are associated with the severity of the diseases.
Article
Microbiology
Nelida Fernandez, Belen Revuelta, Irene Aguilar, Jorge Francisco Soares, Annetta Zintl, Jeremy Gray, Estrella Montero, Luis Miguel Gonzalez
Summary: This study investigated the frequency and diversity of tick-borne piroplasms in six species of adult ixodid ticks removed from fallow deer and red deer in a nature reserve in southern Portugal. Four tick-borne piroplasms, including zoonotic pathogens, were detected. The study also found sporadic infections in ticks removed from the same individual hosts, suggesting the presence of piroplasms in ticks rather than the hosts.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Manuel F. Giraldo-Velasquez, Ivan N. Perez-Osorio, Alejandro Espinosa-Ceron, Brandon M. Barcena, Arturo Calderon-Gallegos, Gladis Fragoso, Monica Torres-Ramos, Nayeli Paez-Martinez, Edda Sciutto
Summary: Inhalants, including toluene, can induce neuroinflammation and histological damages, but intranasally administered methylprednisolone treatment can reverse these damages.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Dolores Adriana Ayon-Nunez, Jacquelynne Cervantes-Torres, Carlos Cabello-Gutierrez, Sergio Rosales-Mendoza, Diana Rios-Valencia, Leonor Huerta, Raul J. Bobes, Julio Cesar Carrero, Rene Segura-Velazquez, Nora Alma Fierro, Marisela Hernandez, Joaquin Zuniga-Ramos, Gerardo Gamba, Graciela Cardenas, Emmanuel Frias-Jimenez, Luis Alonso Herrera, Gladis Fragoso, Edda Sciutto, Francisco Suarez-Guemes, Juan Pedro Laclette
Summary: COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing and evolving worldwide, and monitoring population immunity is crucial for decision-making on returning to normality. This article describes the development of an RBD-based ELISA method for detecting specific antibodies, which can provide an indication of protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Roberto Rodriguez-Rivas, Ana Flisser, Luiz Fernando Norcia, Pedro Tadao Hamamoto Filho, D. Katterine Bonilla-Aldana, Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales, Arturo Carpio, Matthew L. Romo, Agnes Fleury
Summary: The study assessed the trends in hospitalization rates and mortality of neurocysticercosis in Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, and Mexico. It found a decrease in hospitalization rates in Brazil, Ecuador, and Mexico, an increase in the age of patients with recent infections in Mexico, and an increase in hospitalization rates in Colombia.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Graciela Cardenas, Raul J. Bobes, Gladis Fragoso, Nicolas I. Perez-Osorio, Marisela Hernandez, Alejandro Espinosa, Agnes Fleury, Jose Flores, Juan Pedro Laclette, Edda Sciutto, Helgi Jung-Cook
Summary: Dexamethasone and methylprednisolone are effective glucocorticoids for controlling inflammation. Intranasal administration bypasses the blood-brain barrier and allows direct access to the central nervous system. This study found that intranasal delivery of DXM and MEP has high bioavailability and is comparable to intravenous administration, suggesting it can be a non-invasive alternative for systemic drug delivery.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alfredo Cruz-Gregorio, Ana Karina Aranda-Rivera, Omar Emiliano Aparicio-Trejo, Omar Noel Medina-Campos, Edda Sciutto, Gladis Fragoso, Jose Pedraza-Chaverri
Summary: Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide. The mortality rate has decreased due to early diagnosis and more effective treatments, but HER2 and TNBC still have poor prognoses. The immunomodulatory peptide GK-1 is being proposed as a new alternative for immunotherapy of these aggressive tumors. GK-1 has shown promising results in reducing tumor growth and lung metastasis in experimental models.
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Pedro Tadao Hamamoto Filho, Roberto Rodriguez-Rivas, Agnes Fleury
Summary: This scoping review discusses the treatment options and indications for neurocysticercosis, a neglected tropical disease. Despite improvements in therapeutic management, the morbidity and mortality of this disease remain high.
RESEARCH AND REPORTS IN TROPICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
D. Stelzle, C. Makasi, V. Schmidt, C. Trevisan, I. Van Damme, C. Ruether, P. Dorny, P. Magnussen, G. Zulu, K. E. Mwape, E. Bottieau, C. Prazeres da Costa, U. F. Prodjinotho, H. Carabin, E. Jackson, A. Fleury, S. Gabriel, B. J. Ngowi, A. S. Winkler
Summary: A prospective cohort study conducted in Tanzania found that the efficacy of albendazole monotherapy for neurocysticercosis was unsatisfactory, but the combination therapy of albendazole and praziquantel resulted in a high rate of cyst resolution.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Nicoline Schiess, Violet Kulo, Pria Anand, David R. Bearden, Aaron L. Berkowitz, Gretchen L. Birbeck, Anna Cervantes-Arslanian, Phillip Chan, Lorraine Chishimba Chishimba, Felicia C. Chow, Isabel Elicer, Agnes Fleury, Aarti Kinikar, Michelle Kvalsund, Farrah J. Mateen, Amir A. Mbonde, Ana-Claire L. Meyer, Cumara B. O'Carroll, Adesola Ogunniyi, Archana A. Patel, Michael Rubenstein, Omar K. Siddiqi, Serena Spudich, Sean A. Tackett, Kiran T. Thakur, Nirali Vora, Joseph Zunt, Deanna R. Saylor
Summary: This study used a modified Delphi approach to develop a framework of 47 competencies for global neurology training. These competencies cover eight domains, including cultural context, medical knowledge, team-based practice, and healthcare systems. The findings of this study can be used to establish global neurology training programs and evaluate trainees in this field.
Article
Parasitology
Estrella Montero, Maria Folgueras, Mercedes Rodriguez-Perez, Laura Perez-ls, Javier Diaz-Arias, Maria Meana, Belen Revuelta, Karita Haapasalo, Julio Collazos, Victor Asensi, Luis Miguel Gonzalez
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence of babesiosis in the population of Asturias, Spain from 2015 to 2017 and found a 39.2% seroprevalence rate of Babesia divergens. The epidemiological evidence suggests that Asturias is an emerging risk area for this tick-borne disease and calls for public health authorities to address the potential impact of babesiosis on human health.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Lya Cruz, Edgar Pacheco, Walter Soto, Roberto Cong, Roberto Suastegui, Sergio Moreno-Jimenez, Agnes Fleury
Summary: Hydrocephalus is a common complication of EP-NC, and VPS is the main treatment. Previous studies have shown poor prognosis associated with VPS, but current information is lacking.
TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Matthew L. L. Romo, Rocio Osorio, Andrea Toledo, Roger Carrillo-Mezo, Ricardo Valdez, Marta C. C. Romano, Edda Sciutto, Gladis Fragoso, Agnes Fleury
Summary: The study examined the relationship between host immune and endocrine systems and treatment response in patients with extraparenchymal neurocysticercosis (EP-NC). The findings showed that prior to treatment, EP-NC patients had a weak specific immune response and a regulatory response, which may explain the lack of peripheral immunological changes during and after treatment. This weak specific peripheral response may contribute to the chronicity of the infection and the poor treatment response.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Pallavi Singh, Stefano Lonardi, Qihua Liang, Pratap Vydyam, Eleonora Khabirova, Tiffany Fang, Shalev Gihaz, Jose Thekkiniath, Muhammad Munshi, Steven Abel, Loic Ciampossin, Gayani Batugedara, Mohit Gupta, Xueqing Maggie Lu, Todd Lenz, Sakshar Chakravarty, Emmanuel Cornillot, Yangyang Hu, Wenxiu Ma, Luis Miguel Gonzalez, Sergio Sanchez, Karel Estrada, Alejandro Sanchez-Flores, Estrella Montero, Omar S. Harb, Karine G. Le Roch, Choukri Ben Mamoun
Summary: Babesia duncani is a tick-transmitted pathogen causing a malaria-like disease in humans and animals. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of its molecular biology, genomics, transcriptomics, and epigenetics. The identification of candidate virulence factors, diagnostic antigens, and potential drug targets in the genome, epigenome, and transcriptome of B. duncani could lead to the development of effective therapies for human babesiosis.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Andrea Toledo, Gladis Fragoso, Roger Carrillo-Mezo, Matthew L. Romo, Edda Sciutto, Agnes Fleury
Summary: The presence of soluble forms of PD-1 and PD-L1 in plasma of patients with EP-NC was found to be associated with treatment response. Higher levels of these markers before treatment were correlated with poor treatment response, and the ratio of sPD-1/sPD-L1 showed high sensitivity and specificity in predicting treatment response.
