Treatment may involve:

• Medications to kill the parasites (antiparasitic treatments)
• Powerful anti-inflammatories (steroids) to reduce swelling

If the cyst is in the eye or the brain, steroids should be started a few days before other medicines to avoid problems caused by swelling during antiparasitic treatment. Not all patients benefit from antiparastic treatment.

Sometimes surgery may be needed to remove the infected area.

The outlook is generally good, unless the lesion has caused blindness, heart failure, or brain damage. These are rare complications.

• Blindness, decreased vision
• Heart failure or abnormal rhythm
• Seizures, increased pressure in the brain

If you have any symptoms of cysticercosis, contact your health care provider.

Images

Digestive system organs

Review Date: 02/23/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)