Mielorradiculopatia esquistossomótica

Abstract

Schistosomiasis is one of the most common parasitic diseases in the world. It is an important public health problem. Neuroschistosomiasis refers to the involvement of the central nervous system, it is serious when symptomatic and the prognosis depends on early treatment. Female patient, 20 years, have an intense pain in the lower back, progressing after a week with paresis in her left lower limb and urinary retention, followed by paresis of the right lower limb. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the thoraco-lumbar spine showed signal alteration of the spinal cord and thickening of the conus medullaris and roots of the cauda diagnosis of schistosomiasis myeloradiculopathy. The patient had a satisfactory response to the treatment with methylprednisolone of neuroschistosomiasis is important for to the therapy started early to prevent serious physical disability. The reported case reinforces the importance of knowledge of schistosomiasis myeloradiculopathy, a disease still underdiagnosed in our country