Disseminated cysticercosis presenting with bilateral proptosis: A case report

Abstract

Rationale: Disseminated cysticercosis is characterized by presence of cysts in multiple body organs, like brain, skin, eyes, muscles and rarely heart and lungs. Patient concerns: A 22-year-old man presented with bilateral proptosis of 1-year duration. He also had two episodes of cysticercosis encephalitis. In the second episode of encephalopathy, the patient died. Diagnosis: Disseminated cysticercosis. Interventions: Corticosteroids (Initially intravenous dexamethasone 0.4 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks, followed by oral prednisolone 1.0 mg/kg/day). Outcomes: The patient died of cysticercosis encephalitis approximately 2 months later. Lessons: Disseminated cysticercosis in our case presented only with proptosis as he had very heavy infestation of the brain and eyes. Heavy larval infestation in a patient with disseminated cysticercosis can be life-threatening.