Topical Review: Parasitic Infections of the Central Nervous System in Children. Part I: Congenital Infections and Meningoencephalitis

This review article presents the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, laboratory and radiologic findings, and treatment of parasitic infections of the central nervous system in children. Some obscure parasitic infections are included. To assist the clinician faced with a specific case, infections are categorized first by predominant clinical manifestations : congenital disease, meningoencephalitis, focal lesions, and disseminated multisystem disease. Within the clinical categories, parasites are grouped according to the geographic area where most human infections occur. Congenital infections and those that present most frequently as meningoencephalitis are discussed in this part of the review. (J Child Neurol 1995; 10:4-17).