SkipdirectlytositecontentSkipdirectlytopageoptionsSkipdirectlytoA-ZlinkParasites-CysticercosisSectionNavigationCDCHomeFacebookTwitterLinkedInSyndicateResourcesforHealthProfessionalsEspañol(Spanish)MinusRelatedPagesCysticercosisiscausedbyinfectionwiththelarvalform(orcysticercus)ofthetapewormTaeniasolium.Themostimportantclinicalmanifestationsarecausedbycystsinthecentralnervoussystem,knownasneurocysticercosis.Theresultingsignsandsymptomsdependonthenumber,location,size,andstage(viable,degenerating,orcalcified)ofthecysticerciandtheintensityofthehostinflammatoryresponsetodegeneratingcysts.Seizuresarethemostcommonmanifestation,presentin70-90%ofsymptomaticpatientsinpublishedcaseseries.Lessfrequentclinicalmanifestationsincludeintracranialhypertension,hydrocephalus,chronicmeningitis,andcranialnerveabnormalities.Diagnosisusuallyinvolvesbothserologicaltestingandbrainimaging.Themosturgenttherapeuticinterventionsareaimedatmanagingtheneurologicalcomplications,andmayrequireanticonvulsanttherapy,corticosteroids,neurosurgicalinterventionand/ortreatmentofincreasedintracranialpressure.Anthelminthictreatmentmaybeindicated,butmustbeadministeredwithcaution,becauselarvaldeathprovokesaninflammatoryresponsethatmayincreasesymptoms.Concomitantsteroidsareusuallyindicated.DiseaseTheperiodbetweeninitialinfectionandsymptomonsetvariesfromseveralmonthstomanyyears.IntheUnitedStates,infectionsaredetectedpredominantlyinimmigrantsfromMexico,Guatemala,andotherLatinAmericancountrieswhoacquiredtheirinfectionsintheirhomecountry.However,taeniasisandcysticercosisoccurglobally,withthehighestratesinareasofLatinAmerica,Asia,andsub-SaharanAfricawithpoorsanitationandfree-rangingpigswithaccesstohumanfeces.ClustersandsporadiccasesofcysticercosisacquiredintheU.S.havebeenreported.Foodhandlerswithtaeniasisareofparticularconcerninthisscenario(seeprevention/controlsectionformoreinformation).Inhumans,cysticerci(encystedlarvae)oftenoccurinskeletalmuscles.However,themanifestationsthatmostfrequentlyleadpatientstovisithealthc