Ocular cysticercosis: an unusual cause of ptosis

Basu S, Muthusami S, Kumar A
Correspondence: Dr Sriparna Basu, drsriparnabasu@rediffmail.com

ABSTRACT
A nine-year-old girl presented with pain, unilateral ptosis, inflammation of the upper eyelid and restricted ocular motility. She was diagnosed to have ocular cysticercosis by magnetic resonance imaging of the orbit, which showed a well-defined ring-enhancing lesion in the superior rectus muscle of the left eye. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serum antibodies against cysticercus was positive. The patient improved dramatically on a therapeutic trial of albendazole and oral steroids. There was a history of spontaneous extrusion of the cyst five days after starting therapy. The conjunctival defect healed without any surgical intervention.

Keywords: eye infection, ocular cysticercosis, ophthalmoplegia, parasitic infection, ptosis, Taenia solium
Singapore Med J 2009; 50(8): e309-e311