Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Neuroangiostrongyliasis: Updated Recommendations

Overview

Journal Parasitology

Specialty Parasitology

Date 2020 Jul 31

PMID 32729438

Citations 20

Authors

Vernon Ansdell

Kenton J Kramer

Jourdan K McMillan

William L Gosnell

Gerald S Murphy

B C Meyer

Elizabeth U Blalock

Johnnie Yates

Louis Lteif

Olivia A Smith

Marian Melish

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

A subcommittee of the Hawaii Governor's Joint Task Force on Rat Lungworm Disease developed preliminary guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of neuroangiostrongyliasis (NAS) in 2018 (Guidelines, 2018). This paper reviews the main points of those guidelines and provides updates in areas where our understanding of the disease has increased. The diagnosis of NAS is described, including confirmation of infection by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RTi-PCR) to detect parasite DNA in the central nervous system (CNS). The treatment literature is reviewed with recommendations for the use of corticosteroids and the anthelminthic drug albendazole. Long-term sequelae of NAS are discussed and recommendations for future research are proposed.

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