Neurocysticercosis

Cysticercosis is human infestation by Taenia solium and is considered the most common cause of seizures worldwide. It is endemic in less developed countries, and it is increasingly encountered in developed countries, mainly among immigrants from endemic areas. A subgroup of people at risk from developed countries are those who employ housekeepers who are carriers of T. solium. The number of reported cases in travelers remains low. However, with the increase in travel, physicians should be aware of this disease, keeping in mind that any traveler to an endemic area is at risk for neurocysticercosis, because it has fecal-oral transmission and is not related to eating raw pork. The lag time between exposure and neurological symptoms is several years, so it is crucial to ascertain travel history in any patient with a new onset of a seizure disorder.