This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
Schistosomiasis affects more than 200 million people around the world.1 Schistosomal myeloradiculopathy (SMR) is an inflammation of the spinal cord (myelitis) or nervous roots (radiculitis) due to schistosomiasis, mostly reported with S mansoni or S hematobium.2 We describe three cases of SMR in travelers from France, defined as nonimmune patients, briefly exposed to schistosomiasis, and then discuss diagnosis approach in this population.
Case reports.
Patient 1.
A 58-year-old man was hospitalized for subacute paraparesis. Four weeks after trekking in Madagascar, a dysenteric syndrome appeared with 5,214 eosinophils/mm3 and identification of S mansoni eggs in stool. Forty mg/kg of praziquantel was administered. Two days later, bilateral pain in the legs, gait instability, and dysuria appeared. Physical examination revealed distal weakness in lower limbs with stepping and right quadriceps fasciculation. Schistosomal serology was positive with hemagglutination (HA) and indirect immunofluorescence (IFI) at 1/320 (normal < 1/160). CSF showed seven cells/mm3 (70% lymphocytic and 30% eosinophils), normoglycorrhachia, and 0.57 g/dL proteins. Three praziquantel daily doses of 40 mg/kg and five daily prednisolone doses of 500 mg were administered, followed by 1 mg/kg oral prednisolone tapered within 1 month. Neurologic symptoms had completely reversed in 24 hours and MRI at 3 months had normalized.
Patient 2.
A 29-year-old man was hospitalized for progressive gait disorder 4 …
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
Disputes & Debates: Rapid online correspondence
NOTE: All authors' disclosures must be entered and current in our database before comments can be posted. Enter and update disclosures at http://submit.neurology.org. Exception: replies to comments concerning an article you originally authored do not require updated disclosures.
- Stay timely. Submit only on articles published within the last 8 weeks.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- 200 words maximum.
- 5 references maximum. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- 5 authors maximum. Exception: replies can include all original authors of the article.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.