Sparganosis presenting as cauda equina syndrome with molecular identification of the parasite in tissue sections.

Abstract

A 52-year-old woman presented with lower back pain, progressive symmetrical paraparesis with sensory impairment, and sphincter disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the whole spine revealed multiple intradural extramedullary serpiginous-mass lesions in the subarachnoid space continuously from the prepontine to the anterior part of the medulla oblongata levels, C7, T2-T8, and T12 vertebral levels distally until the end of the theca sac and filling-in the right S1 neural foramen. Sparganosis was diagnosed by demonstration of the sparganum in histopathological sections of surgically resected tissues and also by the presence of serum IgG antibodies by ELISA. DNA was extracted from unstained tissue sections, and a partial fragment of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene was amplified using a primer set specific for Spirometra spp. cox1. After sequencing of the PCR-amplicon and alignment of the nucleotide sequence data, the causative agent was identified as the larva of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei.

• Authors: Adhiratha Boonyasiri, Pornsuk Cheunsuchon, Prajak Srirabheebhat, Hiroshi Yamasaki, Wanchai Maleewong, Pewpan M Intapan
• Journal: The Korean journal of parasitology (Korean J Parasitol) Vol. 51 Issue 6 Pg. 739-42 (Dec 2013) ISSN: 1738-0006 [Electronic] Korea (South)
• PMID: 24516282 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Helminth
• Helminth Proteins
• Immunoglobulin G
• Electron Transport Complex IV

Topics

• Animals
• Antibodies, Helminth (blood)
• Electron Transport Complex IV (genetics)
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Female
• Helminth Proteins (genetics)
• Histocytochemistry
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin G (blood)
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Middle Aged
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Polyradiculopathy (pathology)
• Radiography
• Sequence Analysis, DNA
• Sparganosis (diagnosis, pathology)
• Spine (diagnostic imaging)
• Spirometra (classification, genetics, isolation & purification)