Neurocysticercosis with clinical manifestation of dizziness: A case report

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v14i12.50264

Keywords:

Central nervous system, Dizziness, Neurocysticercosis, Pork.

Abstract

Neurocysticercosis is an infectious disease of the central nervous system caused by Taenia solium. Bali is an endemic area for neurocysticercosis and is associated with the consumption of raw pork. Clinical manifestations of neurocysticercosis vary, ranging from mild to fatal. Therefore, it is important to recognize the symptoms to ensure appropriate therapy and improve patient outcomes. The current study aims to report a clinical case of a 64-year-old woman who presented with a sudden onset of dizziness for four days, which she felt upon waking. Other complaints included mild headache and nausea. She had no medical history, but she had frequently consumed pork, most recently 10 days ago. Bidirectional nystagmus was observed. A CT scan of her head revealed several focal lesions suggestive of a worm infestation. She was diagnosed with neurocysticercosis and was treated with oral albendazole, dexamethasone injection, oral folic acid, and pantoprazole injection. She reported improvement after treatment. This case demonstrates an atypical presentation of neurocysticercosis and clinical improvement after initiation of an appropriate therapeutic protocol. This case emphasizes the importance of suspecting neurocysticercosis in endemic areas with a history of exposure, even if the clinical manifestations are atypical.

References

Brutto, O. H. D. (2014). Neurocysticercosis. The Neurohospitalist, 4(4), 205. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941874414533351

Butala, C., Brook, T. M., Majekodunmi, A. O., & Welburn, S. C. (2021). Neurocysticercosis: Current Perspectives on Diagnosis and Management. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 8, 615703. https://doi.org/10.3389/FVETS.2021.615703/BIBTEX

Byrnes, E., Shaw, B., Shaw, R., Madruga, M., & Carlan, S. J. (2024). Neurocysticercosis Presenting as Migraine in the United States. American Journal of Case Reports, 25. https://doi.org/10.12659/AJCR.943133

Carabin, H., Ndimubanzi, P. C., Budke, C. M., Nguyen, H., Qian, Y., Cowan, L. D., Stoner, J. A., Rainwater, E., & Dickey, M. (2011). Clinical Manifestations Associated with Neurocysticercosis: A Systematic Review. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 5(5), e1152. https://doi.org/10.1371/JOURNAL.PNTD.0001152

Del Brutto, O. H. (2022). Human Neurocysticercosis: An Overview. Pathogens, 11(10), 1212. https://doi.org/10.3390/PATHOGENS11101212

Del Brutto, O. H., Nash, T. E., White, A. C., Rajshekhar, V., Wilkins, P. P., Singh, G., Vasquez, C. M., Salgado, P., Gilman, R. H., & Garcia, H. H. (2017). Revised diagnostic criteria for neurocysticercosis. Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 372, 202–210. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JNS.2016.11.045

Gripper, L. B., & Welburn, S. C. (2017). Neurocysticercosis infection and disease–A review. Acta Tropica, 166, 218–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ACTATROPICA.2016.11.015

Carrey, M., Suseno, E., Spicano Joprang, F., Darmawan, O., & Widayanti, Rr. J. R. (2018). Current trends of diagnosis and management of neurocysticercosis. JKKI : Jurnal Kedokteran Dan Kesehatan Indonesia, 9(3), 187–194. https://doi.org/10.20885/JKKI.VOL9.ISS3.ART9

Li, H., Sun, J., & Nan, G. (2019). Nonspecific dizziness as an unusual presentation of neurocysticercosis: A case report. Medicine, 98(30), e16647. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000016647

Mesa, E., Ruprecht, V., Nguyen, M. C., & Casadesus, D. (2023). Vertigo: An Atypical Presentation of Neurocysticercosis Successfully Treated With Albendazole. Cureus, 15(9), e45722. https://doi.org/10.7759/CUREUS.45722

Pereira, A. S. et al. (2018). Metodologia da pesquisa científica. [free ebook]. Santa Maria: Editora da UFSM.

Pranajaya, I. G. B. A. A., Suryapraba, A. A. A., Dewi, V. T., Sudarmaja, I. M., Swastika, K., Sudewi, A. A. R., & Susilawathi, N. M. (2023). The diversity of neurocysticercosis clinical manifestations in Bali, Indonesia: a case series. Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery, 59(1), 110-. https://doi.org/10.1186/S41983-023-00711-W/FIGURES/5

Singh, G., Garcia, H. H., Del Brutto, O. H., Coyle, C., & Sander, J. W. (2024). Seizures and Epilepsy in Association with Neurocysticercosis: A Nosologic Proposal. Neurology, 103(9), e209865.

https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000209865/ASSET/EC42932B-38E5-4AED-93C8-4BC55D2E0859/ASSETS/IMAGES/LARGE/WNL.00000000002 09865F2.JPG

Sudewi, R. A. A. (2011). Neurosistiserkosis. In R. A. A. Sudewi, P. Sugianto, & K. Ritarwan (Eds.), Infeksi pada Sistem Saraf. Airlangga University Press.

Susilawathi, N. M., Suryapraba, A. A., Soejitno, A., Asih, M. W., Swastika, K., Wandra, T., Budke, C. M., Ito, A., & Sudewi, A. R. (2020). Neurocysticercosis cases identified at Sanglah Hospital, Bali, Indonesia from 2014 to 2018. Acta Tropica, 201, 105208. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ACTATROPICA.2019.105208

Toassi, R. F. C. & Petry, P. C. (2021). Metodologia da pesquisa aplicada à área de saúde. (2ed). Editora de UFRGS.

Wandra, T., Sudewi, R., Susilawati, N. M., Swastika, K., Sudarmaja, I. M., Diarthini, L. P. E., Purba, I. E., Okamoto, M., Budke, C. M., & Ito, A. (2016). Neurocysticercosis Diagnosed in a Patient with Taenia saginata Taeniasis after Administration of Praziquantel: A Case Study and Review of the Literature. Primary Health Care: Open Access, 6(3), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.4172/2167-1079.1000231

Wandra, T., Swastika, K., Dharmawan, N. S., Purba, I. E., Sudarmaja, I. M., Yoshida, T., Sako, Y., Okamoto, M., Eka Diarthini, N. L. P., Sri Laksemi, D. A. A., Yanagida, T., Nakao, M., & Ito, A. (2015). The present situation and towards the prevention and control of neurocysticercosis on the tropical island, Bali, Indonesia. Parasites & Vectors, 8(1), 148. https://doi.org/10.1186/S13071-015-0755-Z

White, A. C., Coyle, C. M., Rajshekhar, V., Singh, G., Hauser, W. A., Mohanty, A., Garcia, H. H., & Nash, T. E. (2018). Diagnosis and Treatment of Neurocysticercosis: 2017 Clinical Practice Guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH). Clinical Infectious Diseases, 66(8), e49–e75. https://doi.org/10.1093/CID/CIX1084

Downloads

Published

2025-12-02

Issue

Section

Health Sciences

How to Cite

Neurocysticercosis with clinical manifestation of dizziness: A case report. Research, Society and Development, [S. l.], v. 14, n. 12, p. e13141250264, 2025. DOI: 10.33448/rsd-v14i12.50264. Disponível em: https://www.rsdjournal.org/rsd/article/view/50264. Acesso em: 5 dec. 2025.