A clinical study of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis caused by angiostrongyliasis.

OBJECTIVE

To improve the clinician's awareness of angiostrongyliasis.

METHODS

The clinical and laboratory data as well as the epidemiological information concerning 18 patients with eosinophilic meningoencephalitis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis were analyzed.

RESULTS

All patients had a history of eating raw fresh water snail (Ampularium canaliculatus) before the onset of the disease. Incubation period ranged from 1 to 25 days. The major symptoms of the patients had severe headache and pain in the trunk and limbs. Increased eosinophlic count in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid was noted. Tested by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA), sera were specifically IgG-antibody positive against Angiostrougylus cantonensis antigen, but were negative against other parasitic antigens such as Paragonimus westermani, Cysticerus, Cellulosae hominis, Echinococcus granulosus and Trichinella spiralis. Abnormal spotty signals were found in 2 cases with brain magnetic resonance imaging. Electroencephalogram (EEG) showed slow alpha rhythm. All the patients were effectively treated with combined administration of albendazole and dexamethazone.

CONCLUSIONS

Angiostrongyliasis is one of the common causes leading to eosinophilic meningoencephalitis. To our knowledge, Wenzhou is the first small outbreak site of angiostrongyliasis discovered in Chinese mainland.