How to Treat Cysticercosis

Cysticercosis is an infection of any larval cysts. In common usage however, this refers specifically to the cestode Taenia solium. Humans are the only definitive host and Taenia solium eggs are shed in the feces of infected humans. The eggs are ingested by pigs that serve as intermediate hosts and develop cysts in the muscle tissue. Cysticercosis is transmitted back to humans when the infected pork is eaten without being properly cooked. Read on to learn about how to treat cysticercosis.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Administer a single oral dose of 5 to 10 mg/kg praziquantel to treat an adult tapeworm infection.

2. Treat patients that have live brain cysts with albendazole or praziquantel. Albendazole is frequently preferred because of its greater effectiveness in eradicating brain cysts. The normal dosage of albendazole is 15 mg/kg/day orally divided into two daily doses not to exceed 800 mg per day for eight to 30 days. Praziquantel is orally administered with a normal dosage of 50 to 100 mg/kg/day divided into three daily doses for 30 days.

3. Decrease the adverse effects of anti-parasitic treatment with corticosteroids such as dexamethasone or prednisone. Control any cerebral edema with corticosteroids before beginning anti-parasitic treatment.

4. Address the symptoms of calcified brain cysts. Seizures should be treated with anticonvulsants until the cysts have resolved and the patient has been free of seizures for one to two years.

5. Consider surgery in cases that do not respond to medical treatment. Remove large solitary cysts or mobile ones that may cause ventricular obstruction. Shunts also may need to be placed in cases involving hydrocephalus or intraventricular cysts.

Resources

• More About Treating Cysticercosis

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