[Development, symptomatology and treatment of "animal" and "plant" parasites of the central nervous system].

Eight cases of today rather rare infections of the brain and spinal cord with animal and plant parasites are described. Echinococcus was identified in one patient, cysticercus cellulosis in 4 and in 3 patients various fungi (actinomycosis Meyerii, aspergillus fumigatus, nokardiose asteroides) were found. Prior to the admission to the hospital none of these patients were correctly diagnosed. Animal parasites mimicked the symptomatology of a brain tumour or of a space occupying process. If localised intraspinally they produced signs similar to prolapsed lumbar disc. Plant parasites caused formation of particular suppurative granulation tissues in the form of abscesses which were often disseminated. By contrast, animal parasites produced only mechanical damage of the brain tissue. In addition to surgical intervention aiming at complete removal of parasite cysts or abscesses, drug therapy with the broadspectrum antibiotics or Praziquantel, an isochinoline derivate, is appropriate. Although due to the better diagnostic procedures and specific drug treatment the mortality rate in the countries with widespread parasite infections (Southern Europe and South America) has dropped from 50-80% to 5-6%, the experience shows that only about half of the patients survive the operation when a longer time-span is considered.