Parasitic infections of the spine: case series and review of the literature

OBJECTIVE Although parasitic infections are endemic to parts of the developing world and are more common in areas with developing economies and poor sanitary conditions, rare cases may occur in developed regions of the world. METHODS Articles eligible for the authors' literature review were initially searched using PubMed with the phrases "parasitic infections" and "spine." After the authors developed a list of parasites associated with spinal cord infections from the initial search, they expanded it to include individual diagnoses, using search terms including "neurocysticercosis," "schistosomiasis," "echinococcosis," and "toxoplasmosis." RESULTS Two recent cases of parasitic spinal infections from the authors' institution are included. CONCLUSIONS Key findings on imaging modalities, laboratory studies suggestive of parasitic infection, and most importantly a thorough patient history are required to correctly diagnose parasitic spinal infections.