Cysticercosis cellulosae in labial mucosa: a rare case report.

Parasitic cysts rarely affect the oral cavity but cysticercosis cellulosae, the larval form of pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, is occasionally encountered.1 Several have been reported, including cases in the lower lip2, buccal mucosa3,4 and tongue.4 In some instances, the clinical diagnosis was that of mucocele.5 It is also common in cerebral tissue, subcutaneous tissue, muscles, liver, lungs and eye.3,6-8 When cysticerci are located in the brain, eye or cardiac muscle, severe symptoms result. Epilepsy, blindness and cardiac abnormalities are not unusual.1 High incidence areas include regions of Latin America, India, Eastern Europe and South Africa.4,8 The etiology may be because of ingestion of tapeworm ova from raw vegetables, fruits, polluted drinking water and contaminated fingers or by eating contaminated food. The adult worm is found only in humans following the eating of undercooked pork containing cysticerci.9 The diagnosis of cysticercosis must be followed by a thorough medical examination and special investigations to determine whether or not multiple cysticerci and/or an adult tapeworm are present.1 CASE REPORT