Neuropediatrics 2021; 52(02): 142-145
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1721701
Short Communication

Cerebral Toxocariasis as a Cause of Epilepsy: A Pediatric Case

1   Department of Pediatrics, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
,
Raffaele Bruno
2   Department of Infectious Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
7   Department of Clinical-Surgical Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
,
Stefano Novati
2   Department of Infectious Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
,
Roberta Maserati
3   Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
,
Georgia Mussati
4   Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
,
Mariasole Prevedoni Gorone
5   Pediatric Radiology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
,
Edoardo Vecchio Nepita
6   Molecular Virology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
,
Corrado Regalbuto
1   Department of Pediatrics, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
,
Gioia Gola
4   Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
,
Anna Maria Simoncelli
4   Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
,
Antonella Bruno
3   Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
,
Paola Musso
1   Department of Pediatrics, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
,
Edoardo Clerici
1   Department of Pediatrics, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
,
Gian Luigi Marseglia
1   Department of Pediatrics, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
7   Department of Clinical-Surgical Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Toxocarosis is the consequence of human infection by Toxocara spp. larvae and is one of the most common ascarioses, not only in developing countries, but also in the European region, where its prevalence reaches 14%. Due to their particular behavior, children are at higher risk of this parasitic infection, whose clinical features depend on the localization of the Toxocara larvae. Neurotoxocariasis is very uncommon in children and may take different forms depending on the underlying physiopathologic process: immune reaction against the parasite antigens, vasculitis, treatment complications, or, very rarely, brain localization of Toxocara spp. larvae. The association between neurotoxocariasis and the onset of childhood epilepsy has been postulated but is still debated. Moreover, a Toxocara spp. abscess causing epileptic seizures in children has been rarely described, especially in western countries. Hereby we present a 9-year-old patient with a new diagnosis of epilepsy definitely secondary to brain abscess due to the localization of Toxocara canis larvae. Diagnosis was confirmed by neuroimaging and serological test. The successful treatment with albendazole and steroids was documented with a close and long-term clinical and neuroradiological follow-up. Our experience confirms that every case of cryptogenetic epilepsy in children deserves a neuroimaging study and, in case of cystic images, Toxocara serology is mandatory to avoid further unnecessary invasive diagnostic investigations and to set the specific drug therapy.



Publication History

Received: 08 April 2020

Accepted: 16 September 2020

Article published online:
20 January 2021

© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.

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