Parasitic Infections of the Central Nervous System

Parasitic infections of the central nervous system (CNS) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality around the world. While the burden of disease remains concentrated in resource-limited settings, widespread travel and immigration have resulted in increasing numbers of cases in nonendemic countries. The most common CNS syndromes caused by protozoan and helminthic parasites are reviewed in this chapter, with an emphasis on high-burden illnesses including malaria, toxoplasmosis, and neurocysticercosis. Early recognition of these syndromes is the key to minimizing complications and will increase the chances of successful treatment.