sICAM-1 in meningoencephalitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis

introduction: angiostrongylus cantonensis meningoencephalitis is an emergent disease in the americas. method: twelve children suffering from eosinophilic meningoencephalitis due to this parasite aged between 6-10 years were studied. cerebrospinal fluid (csf) and serum samples were taken simultaneously in the first diagnostic puncture at admission. results: all cases showed typical findings on the routine csf and serum analysis: increased csf total protein, increased q (csf/serum) albumin accompanied by eosinophilia in csf. no intrathecal synthesis of immunoglobulins was found. mean serum and csf sicam-1 values were 337.4 and 3.97 ng/ml. qalbumin and qsicam-1 mean values were 4.1 and 6.2 respectively. in 50% of the patients an increased brain-derived fraction of sicam-1 was found. conclusion: it may be suggested that a dynamic of the sicam-1 brain derived fraction is perhaps associated to the immune response in the evolution of the disease.sicam-1 may be an agent in negative feedback for eosinophils passage through the blood-csf barrier into the inflammatory brain response.