A 52-year-old man from the United States acquired a startling shock after he was hospitalized for his worsening migraines – he was instructed parasitic tapeworm larvae in his mind have been the trigger.
The unidentified man had been complaining of week-long, aggressive complications over 4 months, in keeping with a case research revealed March 7 within the American Journal of Case Reports. Concerned concerning the escalating severity of his signs, he was admitted to the hospital for CT testing.
The scans revealed quite a few cysts nestled inside his mind. After extra assessments, the medical doctors discovered the foundation reason behind his situation: parasitic tapeworm larvae, identified to trigger neurocysticercosis, a uncommon and harmful an infection of the mind.
Neurocysticercosis is a situation brought on by parasitic tapeworms when cysts embed inside the nervous system, in keeping with the research. These parasites could also be positioned anyplace from mind parenchyma to the ventricular system and spinal twine.
American Journal of Case Reports
Neurocysticercosis is the most typical parasitic illness of the central nervous system and is linked to unintentional ingestion of pork tapeworm eggs, in keeping with the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ). It causes about 50,000 deaths per 12 months and is the main reason behind epilepsy worldwide.
The CMAJ added that the prevalence of an infection is growing in developed nations as extra individuals journey to or migrate from areas the place an infection is endemic. The illness stays prevalent in Asia, Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, notably in growing nations and areas the place pigs are raised as major meals sources.
The affected person’s medical workforce tried to seek out the origin of the parasitic larvae infesting his mind. According to the research, the person had not just lately traveled to any high-risk areas. His solely notable journey historical past was a cruise to the Bahamas two years prior. Further, he “denied any food insecurity,” researchers mentioned, including the person lived along with his spouse and cat in a contemporary dwelling.
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On additional questioning, the person additionally denied consuming uncooked meals however “admitted to a habit of eating lightly cooked, non-crispy bacon for most of his life,” the research mentioned.
“Our patient’s lifelong preference for soft bacon may have led to instances of undercooked bacon consumption,” the researchers mentioned.
However, they mentioned consuming undercooked bacon would have brought on him to develop taeniasis, an intestinal tapeworm, and never cysticercosis in his mind.
“It can only be speculated, but given our patient’s predilection for undercooked pork and benign exposure history, we favor that his cysticercosis was transmitted via autoinfection after improper handwashing after he had contracted taeniasis himself from his eating habits,” they mentioned.
Following remedy with anti-parasitic and anti inflammatory medicines, the affected person skilled vital enchancment in his situation, the research mentioned. Notably, the mind lesions regressed and his migraines improved.
“It is historically very unusual to encounter infected pork in the United States, and our case may have public health implications,” the researchers concluded.
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