Taenia solium: preventing neurological adverse events during MDA in endemic areas and treatment of neurocysticercosis
Training on prevention and management of neurological adverse events
Preventive chemotherapy is a powerful tool against many neglected tropical diseases. Various preventive chemotherapy programmes for control of parasitic diseases, including those for taeniasis and schistosomiasis, use praziquantel. However, there are different situations in which preventive chemotherapy using praziquantel is not recommended. WHO has designed trainings for programme staff and medical practitioners working in areas endemic or potentially endemic for Taenia solium, to consider the circumstances in which preventive chemotherapy with praziquantel is not recommended because individuals show signs or symptoms compatible with the presence of T. solium larvae in the central nervous system (neurocysticercosis).
Despite these precautions, neurological serious adverse events can occur in healthy individuals after praziquantel intake. Such events are uncommon, but their severity requires that all personnel involved in preventive chemotherapy be aware of them. The trainings also focus on the early identification of those neurological adverse events and their management.
Dr Agnes Fleury, a specialized neurologist, conducted 2 workshops for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in which Lusophone Countries in the Africa region were invited. They are available in Spanish with translation to Portuguese.
The training workshops are based on 2 WHO documents:
- Symptoms and signs compatible with neurocysticercosis in relation to preventive chemotherapy
- Early detection and management of neurological serious adverse events in relation to the administration of anthelminthic medicines to people with asymptomatic neurocysticercosis
VIDEO / Passcode: NID2024@
Languages: Spanish, Portuguese translation (click language icon)
Date: November 2023
PAHO – Training on the treatment of neurocysticercosis
Treatment of neurocysticercosis and the use of anthelmintics are complex topics. In this workshop aimed at physicians, Dr Agnes Fleury covers the basics of treatment of parenchymal neurocysticercosis and the considerations for the use of anthelmintics for the treatment of neurocysticercosis.
This workshop is based on 2 WHO documents:
- WHO guidelines on the management of Taenia solium neurocysticercosis
- Considerations for the use of anthelminthic therapy for the treatment of neurocysticercosis
VIDEO / Passcode: kFbimR?4
Languages: Spanish, Portuguese translation (click language icon).
Date: December 2023