ORAL CYSTICERCOSIS: A RARE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS FOR ORAL SWELLINGS

Cysticercosis is a major public health problem worldwide particularly in developing countries. It is a potentially fatal helminthic disease commonly seen in India, Southern Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe which results from infection with the larval stage of the tapeworm, Taeniasolium. It is a condition in which human beings act as the intermediate host of T. solium, the pork tapeworm. It can occur in any site of body but oral lesions are rare. As oral cysticercosis is a rare entity; it is a diagnostic challenge to the oral healthcare professionals and is also poorly documented in the scientific literature. Here, we report a case of oral cysticercosis affecting tongue that emphasizes the importance of subjecting even apparently innocuous appearing lesions for histopathological evaluation and routine microscopic examination in diagnosing such lesions.