A Case of Disseminated Cysticercosis with Cardiac Involvement

Abstract

Cardiac involvement in disseminated cysticercosis is a rare presentation. Here we report a case of 32-year-old male who presented with a seizure disorder and was found to have disseminated cysticercosis involving central nervous system, cardiac, intraocular and skeletal muscles. Disseminated cysticercosis (DCC) is defined as multiple cystic/enhancing cysticercal lesions (>3) in the brain, along with evidence of involvement in another body part, such as the skin, subcutaneous tissues, skeletal muscles, eyes, or other visceral organs.[1] Cysticercosis is a parasitic infection that results from the ingestion of pork tapeworm ova, Taenia solium. The ingested worm ova then hatch in the gastrointestinal tract, penetrate the small intestine, and spread hematogenously to essentially any organ.[2]