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Disseminated cysticercosis is defined by multiple brain lesions and involvement of other body sites. Cysticidal treatment in disseminated cysticercosis is considered life-threatening. We conducted a systematic review of all published cases and case series to assess the safety and efficacy of cysticidal treatment. We conducted a systematic review in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (PROSPERO CRD42022331895) to assess the safety and efficacy of cysticidal treatment. Using the search term "disseminated neurocysticercosis OR disseminated cysticercosis," databases like PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched. Outcomes included death and secondary measures like clinical improvement and lesion reduction. We calculated the predictors of primary outcome (death) using the binary logistic regression analysis. We reviewed 222 published cases from 101 publications. Approximately 87% cases were reported from India. Of 222 cases, 134 (60%) received cysticidal treatment. Follow-up information was available from 180 patients, 11 of them died, and 169 showed clinical improvement. The death rate was 4% (5 out of 114) in patients treated with cysticidal drugs plus corticosteroids, in comparison with 13% (5 out of 38) in patients who were treated with corticosteroids alone. All patients using only praziquantel faced fatality. Death predictors identified were altered sensorium and lack of treatment with albendazole. We noted that the risk of death after cysticidal treatment is not as we expected, and a multicentric randomized controlled trial is needed to resolve this issue.

Vision loss is a presenting complaint in many patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). Data related to vision loss in SSPE is available only in the form of case reports. In this systematic review, we evaluated characteristics of vision loss, affected anatomic site, and patient course and outcome. We extracted data from four databases: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The last search was done on October 26, 2022. We adhered to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022362652). Dyken's criteria were used for the diagnosis of SSPE. The data were recorded in an Excel sheet. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tool was used to assess the quality of data. The mean age of patients with SSPE was 17.9 years. Males outnumbered females (60:34). In 73 patients (76%), duration of illness/onset of vision loss was less than 6 months. In 76% patients (n = 73), visual manifestations appeared before encephalopathy. Involvement of the retina (58 of 96, 60.4%), optic nerve (9 of 96, 9.3%), or cerebral cortex (29 of 96, 30.2%) was responsible for vision loss. T2/fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parieto-occipital hyperintensities were the most frequent (71.4%) neuroimaging abnormality. Retinal biopsy revealed similar findings revealed by brain histopathology. All patients died and became akinetic mute during the follow-up period, which ranged from a few weeks to a few years. In conclusion, retinal involvement was the most common cause of vision loss. Vision loss often precedes encephalopathy. Cortical vision loss was associated invariably with T2/FLAIR MRI hyperintensities in the parieto-occipital region.

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a relentlessly progressive brain disorder with invariable mortality. Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis is common in measles-endemic areas. We report an unusual SSPE patient with distinctive clinical and neuroimaging features. A 9-year-old boy came with a 5-month history of spontaneously dropping objects from both hands. Subsequently, he developed mental decline, a loss of interest in his surroundings, decreased verbal output, and inappropriate crying and laughing along with generalized periodic myoclonus. On examination, the child was akinetic mute. The child demonstrated intermittent generalized axial dystonic storm with flexion of upper limbs, an extension of lower limbs, and opisthotonos. Dystonic posturing was more dominant on the right side. Electroencephalography revealed periodic discharges. Cerebrospinal fluid antimeasles IgG antibody titer was markedly elevated. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed marked diffuse cerebral atrophy, and periventricular T2/fluid-attenuated inversion recovery hyperintensity. T2/fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images also revealed multiple cystic lesions present in the region of periventricular white matter. The patient was given a monthly injection of intrathecal interferon-α. The patient is currently continuing in the akinetic-mute stage. In conclusion, in this report, we described an unusual case of acute fulminant SSPE in which neuroimaging demonstrated unusual multiple small discrete cystic lesions in the cortical white matter. The pathological nature of these cystic lesions currently is not clear and needs to be explored.

Recently, inflammation and free-radical release has been described in the surrounding brain parenchyma of seemingly inert calcified lesions of neurocysticercosis. These free radicals can induce migraine by stimulating calcitonin gene-related peptide release. This stipulated mechanism led us to hypothesize that calcified neurocysticercosis may increase migraine severity. This case-control study included patients (migraine with calcified neurocysticercosis) and control subjects (migraine without calcified neurocysticercosis) in a 1:1 ratio. Headache frequency, visual analog scale (VAS) score, and Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) score were assessed at baseline and at the end of 3 months. To compare treatment responsiveness between patients and control subjects, we treated both groups identically so that difference in treatment would not confound the results. Each group comprised 78 patients. Baseline headache frequency (11.3 ± 3.3 versus 7.9 ± 3.4), VAS score (7.5 ± 1.1 versus 6.0 ± 1.2), and MIDAS score (15 ± 7.6 versus 9.6 ± 4.5) were significantly greater in patients than control subjects. Interestingly, the change from baseline to the end of 3 months in headache frequency (6.0 ± 1.7 versus 2.8 ± 1.4), VAS score (2.6 ± 0.02 versus 1.4 ± 0.01), and MIDAS score (8.3 ± 5.0 versus 3.6 ± 2.0) were significantly greater in patients than control subjects. Our study emphasizes that calcified lesions of neurocysticercosis are not inert, and cause an increase in the frequency and severity of migraine attacks. Interestingly, these patients also showed a better response to treatment with amitriptyline, possibly resulting from its anti-inflammatory action. Further studies are warranted to explore possible inflammatory mechanisms in calcified neurocysticercosis, which influences migraine physiology.

Lower yield of available diagnostic tests for tuberculous meningitis (TBM) frequently causes delay in diagnosis. Recently, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) has been used in infectious disorders such as pulmonary tuberculosis; however, it is rarely used in TBM. This study was aimed to ascertain the role of FDG PET in the diagnosis and determination of the extent of disease and prognosis in patients with TBM. After excluding unsuitable patients, 25 patients were subjected to whole-body PET-computed tomography (CT) image acquisition along with separate brain protocol with an integrated PET-CT device. FDG PET was found to be abnormal in 92% patients. Extracranial FDG uptake was observed in 80% patients. Most common extracranial site of involvement was lymph nodes (60%), followed by lung (56%), vertebral body (8%), genitourinary organs (8%), and spleen (4%). FDG PET observed extracranial involvement had 80% sensitivity and 20% specificity in detecting definite TBM cases. In conclusion, FDG PET may be a useful test in TBM evaluation.

In posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reveals bilateral occipital, parietal, and subcortical white matter hyperintensities on T2/fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences. After treatment, imaging abnormalities are usually reversible. Eclampsia is the most frequent cause of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in pregnancy. We report a 24-year-old woman, who presented to our clinic 4 weeks after normal vaginal delivery with bilateral vision loss. Loss of vision was first noticed in the 20th week of pregnancy. Even after delivery, her vision did not improve. In the postpartum period, she started having periodic myoclonic jerks. Electroencephalography demonstrated periodic generalized discharges. A brain MRI performed in the 20th week of the antepartum period showed bilateral parieto-occipital cortical white matter T2/FLAIR hyperintensities. A follow-up brain MRI, 5 months later, revealed marked reversal of white matter signal changes. Cerebrospinal fluid examination revealed raised anti-measles antibody titer, confirming the diagnosis of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. In conclusion, in a patient with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) during the postpartum period, cortical vision loss and parieto-occipital white matter T2/FLAIR hyperintensities can simulate eclampsia. Inadvertent treatment with magnesium sulfate is likely if the diagnosis is missed.

Most deaths in tuberculous meningitis occur in the early part of the illness. We assessed the determinants of early deaths, occurring within 2 months of intensive therapy. We prospectively included consecutive newly diagnosed adults with HIV-negative tuberculous meningitis. Patients were given WHO-recommended antituberculosis treatment and were followed up for 9 months. We enrolled 152 patients. A total of 26 deaths were recorded during 2 months. The logistic regression analysis revealed that papilledema ( P = 0.029, odds ratio (OR) = 4.8 [1.2-19.8]), increasing age ( P = 0.001, OR = 1.07 [1.03-1.1]), stage-III disease (Glasgow coma scale score ≤ 10; P = 0.01, OR = 4.2 [1.4-12.3]), and hydrocephalus ( P = 0.003, OR = 8.4 [2.1-33.6]) were independently associated with death. In addition, cerebral infarcts ( P = 0.012, OR = 5.6 [1.5-21.3]), paraparesis ( P = 0.004, OR = 8.8 [2.02-38.1]), and age ( P = 0.005, OR = 1.05 [1.02-1.09]) were associated with poor functional outcome. In conclusion, disease severity predicts early deaths in tuberculous meningitis.

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is still a common disease in India which is characterized by a progressive mental decline, myoclonus, periodic encephalographic abnormalities, and raised anti-measles antibody titter in the cerebrospinal fluid. Acute fulminant SSPE is characterized by a rapid course of disease culminating in death, within 6 months. We report of a 10-year-old boy, who came with a 14-day history of continuous involuntary jerky movements of the left half of the body, including the head. There was a highly increased anti-measles IgG antibody titer, both in the cerebrospinal fluid and serum. We conclude that acute rapidly progressive SSPE can present as acute encephalitis syndrome.

Dengue encephalitis and dengue encephalopathy are frequent neurological complications of systemic dengue virus infection. Neuroimaging is normal in approximately 50% of patients. Common imaging abnormalities involve periventricular structures, including the basal ganglion, thalamus, and periventricular white matter. We describe an unusual case of dengue encephalopathy with unilateral imaging abnormalities involving the right cerebral hemisphere and mimicking the involvement of the right middle cerebral artery.

Solitary cysticercus granuloma is a common neuroimaging abnormality in Indian patients with new-onset epilepsy. Calcific transformation of cysticercus granuloma is frequently associated with seizure recurrence. We evaluated predictors of lesion calcification in patients with solitary cysticercus granuloma and new-onset seizures. One hundred twenty-two patients, with new-onset seizures and a solitary cysticercus granuloma of the brain, were enrolled. All patients were clinically and radiologically evaluated and were treated with antiepileptic drug drugs. No patient received albendazole or corticosteroids. The follow-up period was of 1 year. Follow-up computed tomography was performed after 3 and 6 months. In 68 (54.8%) patients, solitary cysticercus granuloma had transformed into a calcified lesion. On logistic regression analysis, moderate-to-severe edema was a significant factor that predicted calcific transformation of the cysticercus granuloma (odds ratio: 3.325; 95% confidence interval: 1.502-7.362). During 1 year of follow-up, 19 (15.6%) patients experienced seizure recurrence. In 16 patients with seizure recurrence, cysticercus granuloma had transformed in to a calcified lesion. In conclusion, in solitary cysticercus granuloma, calcification of the lesion can be predicted if larger amount of perilesional edema is present. Calcification of the granuloma significantly predicts seizure recurrence., (© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.)

Spinal tuberculosis or Pott's disease of the spine associated with pleural involvement has long intrigued researchers regarding the nature and pathogenesis of their occurrence. We describe two interesting patients of spinal tuberculosis, one with cervical and another with thoracic spine disease, with pleural involvement, which developed after lateral extension of cold abscess involving the parietal pleura, and without any evidence of pulmonary disease.