What treatment strategy is typically employed for managing suspected Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection?
Answer
Anti-parasitic medications combined with steroids
Once a diagnosis involving CNS infection by the rat lungworm larvae is suspected or confirmed, treatment focuses on both eradicating the parasite and managing the dangerous inflammation it causes within the central nervous system. The standard therapeutic approach involves administering anti-parasitic medications, such as albendazole, which targets the worm itself. Crucially, this medication is often combined with steroids. The steroids are administered to control the inflammation and reduce the swelling and damage within the brain and spinal cord tissues caused by the migrating larvae and the body's resultant immune reaction.
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