Clinical and cerebrospinal fluid findings in patients less than 20 years old with a presumptive diagnosis of neuroschistosomiasis

CNS manifestations are rarely attributable to Schistosoma mansoni infection although systemic distribution of S mansoni eggs is well recorded. We describe 73 patients aged less than 20 years who presented S: mansoni eggs in the stool or rectal biopsy and IFA and/or HAI positive CSF tests to S. mansoni, and who had neurological signs and symptoms. Paraparesis (54.8 per cent), urinary retention (53.4 per cent), and paraplegia (20.5 per cent) were the most commonly observed CNS manifestations. In the CSF, pleocytosis (range 7-560 WBC/mm(3)) associated with eosinophilia (85.7 per cent vs. 50.0 per cent, p=0.02) and elevated protein concentration (96.8 per cent vs. 40.0 per cent; p=0.00003) were observed. We conclude that in areas of the world where infection by S. mansoni is common, neuroschistosomiasis should be an important diagnostic consideration in children with neurological signs and symptoms.