Ascariasis con manifestaciones nerviosas y eosinofilia del liquor

Abstract

A case of ascariasis is reported, showing nerv0Us symptoms which includ­ed a certain reduction of mental ability, and presence of eosinophiles in the ce­rebrospinal fluid. Cerebrospinal eosinophily declined rapidly after expulsion of the roundworms, a discreet lymphocytosis remaining manifest for still another month. A few days after deparasitization, blood eosinophily increased, concurrently with the disappearance of eosinophiles from the cerebrospinal fluid. Injecting heterologous proteins a few weeks later, an increase in blood eosinophily and a moderate leucocytosis were obtained, but neither phenomenon was observed in the cerebrospinal fluid. The author remarks that, in ascariasis with nervous system manifectations, the demonstration of meningeal edema and eosinophily in situ may be the basic elements in diagnosing the allergic-parasitary nature of the disease; spinal puncture, therefore, is recommended when such a diagnosis is suspected.