US man eats undercooked pork, tapeworm found in brain

A 52-year-old man in the United States complained of frequent migraines and was found to have tapeworm larvae in his brain.

The incident came to light after the man’s usual migraines became more severe and his regular medications weren’t working, prompting doctors to recommend a detailed medical diagnosis, BBC News reported.

The diagnosis revealed he had cysts of tapeworm larvae in his brain, which can lead to cysticercosis.

Thankfully, the patient responded to antiparasitic and anti-inflammatory treatment and made a full recovery.

Cysticercosis is an infection caused by the larvae of the parasite Taenia solium (T. solium), also known as the solium tapeworm, which causes the formation of cysts (cysticerci) in the brain.

The BBC cited advice from medical experts, stressing that the condition was mainly caused by “improper hand washing”.

Doctors believe the man infected himself with the tapeworm after eating undercooked pork.

Experts say people with tapeworms may infect themselves with tapeworm eggs, a process called autoinfection, which can be passed out of the body as waste and infect others in the same household.

Eating undercooked pork does not directly give you cysticercosis.

“Improper hand washing”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tapeworm larvae “enter tissues such as muscle and brain, forming cysts. When cysts are found in the brain, the condition is called neurocysticercosis.”

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) quoted the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as saying that “people can develop cysticercosis after swallowing cysticercosis eggs that are transmitted in Taenia tapeworm feces.”

Tapeworm eggs are spread “through food, water, or surfaces contaminated with feces.”

“Humans ingest these eggs when they eat contaminated food or put contaminated fingers into their mouths,” the report said.

“A person with tapeworms may infect him or herself [autoinfection]”As well as other members of the family,” it added

Experts say eating undercooked pork does not cause cysticercosis, and the condition is not common in the United States or the United Kingdom, where pork is rigorously tested.