Neurology in Tropics (E-book)

Cysticercosis, an infection caused by the cystic larvae of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium, is one of the most frequent parasitic infections of the human nervous system (neurocysticercosis). It is endemic in most of Latin America, the sub-Saharan Africa, and vast parts of Asia, including the Indian subcontinent. It has also been increasingly diagnosed in developed countries because of migration of people from endemic zones and exposure in travelers. The life cycle involves the development of the adult tapeworm in the human small intestine (after ingesting infected pork with cysts) and larval infection in pig tissues (after ingesting human stools containing the eggs of the tapeworm). Humans get infected by the fecal-oral route, most often from a direct contact with an asymptomatic Taenia carrier. Most common clinical presentations are seizures (particularly late-onset seizures), chronic headaches, and intracranial hypertension. However, cysticerci can locate anywhere in the human nervous system, thus potentially causing almost any neurological syndrome and making clinical diagnosis a difficult task. Neuroimaging is the main diagnostic tool, and specific serology confirms the diagnosis and helps to define the diagnosis when images are unclear. Factors such as location (extraparenchymal versus intraparenchymal), number, size and evolutive stage of the parasites determine the clinical manifestations, therapeutic approach, and prognosis. Management includes symptomatic drugs (analgesics, antiepileptic drugs, anti-inflammatory agents) and in many cases cysticidal drugs, either albendazole or praziquantel. In recent years, efforts have focused on transmission control and potential elimination in endemic regions.

Tropical neurology refers to those diseases of the nervous system which prevail in between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Developments in speed and ease of travel and globalisation of economy have resulted in large scale migration rendering the boundaries of tropical regions less distinct. Wars, famines, natural disasters and economic sanctions have added to the problem of infection and aggravated the preexisting nutritional deficiency disorders in many tropical countries. This book is aimed at residents, practicing physicians, health workers and physicians from western countries who are visiting the tropical countries.

Tropical neurology refers to those diseases of the nervous system which prevail in between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Developments in speed and ease of travel and globalisation of economy have resulted in large scale migration rendering the boundaries of tropical regions less distinct.

Neuroepidemiology in Tropical Health covers major neurological diseases of relevance in tropical settings and examines the specificities of epidemiology of neurological diseases in the context of tropical countries that face many challenges when compared to the developed world. Part One focuses on methods and their eventual specificities, and how such methods, like sampling, can be adapted for specific scenarios. Parts Two and Three discuss environmental factors and their consequences for neurology in the tropical world, as well as large geographical areas and their specificities. Finally, Part Four presents relevant neurological diseases in in-depth chapters. This invaluable information will help readers recognize the various neurological conditions presented, with the inclusion of their aetiologies and treatment in tropical areas. The book therefore fills a gap in the neuroepidemiology literature, with chapters written by an international collection of experienced authors in the field. Highlights differences and similarities between neuroepidemiology in tropical areas and temperate zones with a focus on methods and underlying factors Covers environmental factors in the tropical world and their consequences for neurology Chapters include references (key articles, books, protocols) for additional detailed study Includes wide topics of neurological disease in the tropics, not only infectious diseases, but also nutrition and public health

Neuroparasitology and Tropical Neurology, a new volume in The Handbook of Clinical Neurology, provides a comprehensive and contemporary reference on parasitic infections of the human nervous system. Parasitic infections are varied and some are resolved by the host's immune system, other infections may become established even though unnoticed, and some cause severe disease and death. In our modern world, neuroparasitoses are no longer geographically isolated and these infections now appear worldwide. Outside of a very few well understood pathologies, most parasitic infections have been neglected in the neurological literature and most neurologists have never diagnosed such an infection. This volume details how, with the advent of modern neuroimaging techniques, improved diagnostic applications of molecular biology, more accurate immunodiagnosis, and minimally invasive neurosurgery, human nervous system parasitoses are now diagnosed and treated, with increasing frequency. The book is divided into six sections, and begins with an introduction to the mechanisms of infection, diagnosis, and pathology of parasitic diseases. Subsequent chapters detail protozoan diseases and a section covering each of the major classes of human-infecting helminths: nematodes (roundworms), trematodes (flukes), and cestodes (tapeworms). The final section contains chapters on other important areas of tropical clinical medicine including the neurological complications of venomous bites and tropical nutritional deficiencies. Neuroparasitology and Tropical Neurology will be of interest to neurologists, neurosurgeons and other health professionals encountering patients with parasitic infections. - A comprehensive reference resource on the diagnosis and treatment of parasitic infections of the human nervous system - Focuses on the impact of modern neuroimaging techniques, improved diagnostic applications of molecular biology, more accurate immunodiagnosis, and minimally invasive neurosurgery to diagnose parasitoses - International list of contributors including the leading workers in the field