Exploring Geophagy as a Risk Factor for Neurocysticercosis: A Case Series from the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a common parasitic neuroinfectious disease caused by humans becoming intermediate hosts in the life cycle of the pig tapeworm, Taenia solium, after ingesting its eggs. This case series examines seven female patients with NCC who engaged in geophagy (soil consumption) and were evaluated at Centre Médical Baraka in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, from January 2019 to December 2020. From a cohort of 176 patients with epilepsy evaluated during that period, 105 underwent brain computed tomography scans, and 36 were confirmed to have NCC. Among those with NCC, seven (19.4%) had a history of geophagy and were included in this case series. The majority of these patients had more than five brain lesions. Neuroimaging revealed colloidal lesions, third-stage lesions, and calcifications in six patients. All patients showed improvement after treatment with antiseizure medication alone or in combination with antiparasitic drugs. Geophagy, although not common, serves as a mode of contamination in which individuals ingest soil containing Taenia eggs, potentially leading to the development of NCC.