Cysticercosis: symptoms, causes, treatment

Definition

What is cysticercosis?

Cysticerocosis or cysticercosis is a rare infection caused by a pork tapeworm named Taena solioum (T. solium). This infection can be transmitted through contaminated food or water, or tapeworm eggs from infected pork. In many cases, tapeworms enter the body while they are still in the form of eggs.

Cysticercosis can affect areas of the body including the eyes, spinal cord, skin, heart and brain.

How common is cysticerocosis?

Cysticercosis is a common infection because this type of tapeworm is present all over the world. However, these infections occur frequently in developing countries and rural areas. When it comes to the brain, the disease becomes severe regardless of whether the patient is an adult or a child.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of cysticercosis?

Tapeworm eggs in the stomach pass into the intestines. While in the intestines, worms will cause nausea, loss of appetite, stomach pain, and diarrhea. Patients will also lose weight because they do not fully absorb the nutrition intake.

Then when the worms move to other parts through the blood vessels, they can develop into small cysts in the muscles, brain and eyes. These symptoms can occur anywhere from months to years after infection. When moving to other parts of the body, the first signs of disease depend on where the cyst is found.

Cysts in the eye can cause blurred vision, vision loss, swelling, and retinal detachment.
Cysts in the brain and spinal cord can cause seizures, headaches, confusion, lack of concentration, balance problems, brain swelling, and even death.
Cysts in the heart can cause an abnormal heartbeat and in rare cases, heart failure.
Cysts in the muscles in most cases do not show any symptoms.

There may be other symptoms and signs not listed above. If you have concerns about the symptoms of this disease, please consult your doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

If you notice any of the signs or symptoms listed above, contact your doctor. Also if there are family members who have cysts. You should be examined as soon as symptoms are detected.

Cause

What causes cysticercosis?

Some of the things that cause cysticercosis infection are:

Eating infected pork.Pigs often become infected by eating food contaminated with worm eggs in their feces. When people eat raw or undercooked infected pork, tapeworm eggs can be eaten.
Poor sanitation. Due to poor sanitation, eggs can spread to food, water, or other objects.

In fact, everyone can have tapeworms in their bodies. Adult worms live in the intestines, while young tapeworms (cyst larvae) live in muscles, liver, lungs, brain, or other tissues.

Risk factors

What increases my risk for cysticercosis?

Some things that can increase your risk of developing cysticercosis include:

Living in an unsanitary environment
Eat food containing worm larvae
Not taking deworming medicine properly

Drugs & Medicines

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

What are my treatment options for cysticercosis?

Cysticercosis can be treated with anti-parasitic drugs or deworming drugs. This is quite effective for eradicating tapeworms. Your doctor will give you the right medicine to destroy the worms (if you are infected with more than one type of worms) and it will also depend on how mature the worms are. To heal the cyst, the doctor will administer anti-inflammatory drugs or perform laparoscopic surgery to remove the cyst.

What are the usual tests for cysticercosis?

Some of the most common tests that doctors perform to confirm a diagnosis of cysticercosis include:

Test a stool sample under a microscope to find tapeworm eggs
Blood tests and X-rays
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or CT scan (CT) if needed
Biopsy of one part of the body for microscopic study

Home remedies

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be used to treat cysticercosis?

For worm infections, prevention is better than cure. Some things you can do to prevent and treat cysticercosis infection are:

Perform regular medical check-ups to control the development of symptoms and your health condition
Follow the doctor's advice, do not carelessly use over-the-counter drugs or purposely leave a prescription intended for you
Avoid eating raw or undercooked pork, and other meats should be cooked
Wash your hands with soap and water after using the toilet and before collecting food, especially when traveling to developing countries
Wash and peel fresh vegetables and fruits before eating, avoiding food contaminated with dirt
Drink only bottled or boiled water to prevent cysticercosis
Do not drink mineral water with ice cubes that are not guaranteed cleanliness
Note that some parasite medications should not be used during pregnancy
Don't forget that tapeworm infection can be difficult to diagnose, so your doctor will ask for a stool sample within a few days to check for signs of tapeworms.