Ectopic fascioliasis in the dorsal spine: case report.

Abstract

Parasitic myelopathy is rare. We report ectopic infestation of the spine by Fasciola hepatica. A young woman presented with gradual onset paraplegia with bladder and bowel involvement. A magnetic resonance imaging scan showed an epidural mass lesion that was isotense on T1-weighted images and hyperintense on T2-weighted images, extending from T4-T7 vertebra with extradural cord compression. She was diagnosed with cord compression, possibly owing to tubercular epidural granulation tissue. During surgery, a mobile, flat, leaf-like, pink parasite was found in the epidural space. Morphological and histological indices confirmed the parasite as Fasciola hepatica. Ectopic spinal localization of Fasciola may occur during the transmigration path of the parasite through peritoneum or from the liver through portal venous system.