A man suffered from migraines due to a parasitic worm, the pork tapeworm, which had laid eggs in his brain.
- In the United States, a 52-year-old man suffered from chronic migraines due to a parasitic worm that had laid eggs in his brain.
- This parasitic worm, a pork tapeworm, was also the cause of the cysts the patient had in his brain.
- Thanks to treatment, he no longer has a cyst and his migraines have improved.
The story takes place in Florida, United States. A 52-year-old man consults a doctor because, for four months, he has been suffering from increasingly severe migraines that he cannot treat with medication.
Parasitic worm eggs in the brain
This patient has already suffered from migraines, he has type 2 diabetes and obesity. But these headaches have become chronic and much more intense than in the past. To discover the origin of this problem, he undergoes brain scans.
Results: Swelling and cysts were discovered in his brain. According to the researchers, who present this case in the scientific journal American Journal of Case Reportsthe swelling corresponds to eggs laid by a parasitic worm in his brain.
The parasitic worm in question is a pork tapeworm, or Taenia solium. This causes an intestinal infection called taeniasis, which can affect humans. Indeed, by ingesting T. solium larvae (cysticerci) present in infected and insufficiently cooked pork, humans can contract taeniasis.
Fewer migraines and no more cysts after treatment
“This disease can have devastating effects on human health, note the World Health Organization (WHO). The larvae (cysticerci) can develop in the muscles, skin, eyes and central nervous system. When cysts form in the brain, it is called neurocysticercosis. The symptoms it causes are severe headaches, blindness, convulsions and seizures which can be fatal..”
The researchers actually diagnosed neurocysticercosis in this 52-year-old patient. He had a habit of eating undercooked bacon, which could be the cause of his illness.
According to Daily Mail, the man was taken into intensive care. The treatments helped reduce the inflammation in his brain and treat the infection. So the cysts disappeared and the migraines improved.
