Doctors found hundreds of tapeworms in man's brain after eating pork - INSIDER

Posted: 26 Nov 2019 12:56 PM PST

A 43-year-old Chinese man was suffering from headaches and seizures, and doctors found hundreds of tapeworms living in his brain and chest.
The worms likely came from eggs on a piece of undercooked pork the man reportedly ate, doctors said. When the eggs reproduce, they cause cysts that become infected lesions inside the body.
Tapeworm infections in the brain are rare in developed countries, but are best prevented when meat is cook meat properly to avoid this and other parasitic infections.
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When 43-year-old Zhu Zhongfa of China went to the hospital complaining of a headache and seizures that caused him to lose consciousness, doctors found hundreds of tapeworms living in his brain and chest, according to Newsweek.

The parasites are believed to have come from a piece of undercooked pork the man had eaten about a month before as part of a hot pot he "felt unsure about," Newsweek reported. Doctors at the First Affiliated Hospital of College of Medicine at Zhejiang University found the worms by using an MRI brain scan after they were initially unable to find the cause of his headaches.

The man recovered well and was in stable condition a week after treatment, but doctors said the long-term health effects are unclear, according to Fox News.

Neurocysticercosis, a parasitic disease that occurs when a person accidentally ingests tapeworm eggs and the resulting larvae infect the brain, typically comes from consuming tainted food or water. It is uncommon in developing countries, and is best prevented by cooking meat appropriately and washing hands thoroughly, since the parasites are spread through human feces.

pork chops — Cook meat, especially pork, thoroughly.

Infections, although rare, can be deadly

The species in this case was Taenia solium, which can grow up to 22 feet in length and contain 50,000 eggs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The worms typically attach to the intestine in order to siphon nutrients from the host's digestive system.

However, larvae hatching from eggs will migrate into the muscles and other tissue, forming protective cysts. As the larvae grow and expand through the body, the cysts can become infected and create lesions, or damage, in tissue.

Although the worms can be treated with medications, the damage they cause to tissue can't be reversed, Newsweek reported. And, the situation can quickly become life-threatening if the parasites are inside the brain. An 18-year-old in India reported a severe tapeworm infection in his eye and brain, and despite treatment, died two weeks after being hospitalized, according to a case study published in the New England Journal of Medicine earlier this year.

Symptoms of cysticercosis, the cysts caused by larvae, can also occur months, or even years, after the initial parasite infection. However, many patients with tapeworm infections may show only mild symptoms, or no symptoms at all, according to the CDC.

If you believe you may have been infected, or experience digestive issues such as abdominal pain, loss of appetite, weight loss, and upset stomach, contact a health provider immediately. In some cases, treatment is not necessary if the tapeworm exits the body on its own, according to the Mayo Clinic.

To prevent becoming a tapeworm's new home in the first place, cook meat, especially pork, to at least 145 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Using warm water and soap, thoroughly wash your hands, and any plates or utensils, after contact with raw meat.

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Man had hundreds of tapeworms in brain, chest after eating undercooked pork - Fox News

Posted: 25 Nov 2019 08:18 AM PST

A 43-year-old man in China who was suffering from seizures and loss of consciousness went to the doctor after his symptoms persisted for several weeks, only to discover that he had hundreds of tapeworms in his brain and chest, reports say.

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The patient, identified as Zhu Zhongfa, allegedly had eaten undercooked pork, which was contaminated with Taenia solium, a parasitic tapeworm.

The tapeworms, seen above in a scan of Zhu Zhonfa's brain, entered his body through his digestive system after he ate undercooked pork. (AsiaWire)

"Different patients respond [differently] to the infection depending on where the parasites occupy," Dr. Huang Jianrong, Zhongfa's doctor at Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, told AsiaWire. "In this case, he had seizures and lost consciousness, but others with cysts in their lungs might cough a lot."

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Jianrong explained that the larvae entered Zhongfa's body through the digestive system and traveled upward through his bloodstream. He was officially diagnosed with cysticercosis and neurocysticercosis, and given an antiparasitic drug and other medications to protect his organs from further damage, according to AsiaWire.

Jianrong said his patient is doing well after one week, but the long-term effects from the massive infestation are unclear.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends cooking meat at a safe temperature and using a food thermometer in an effort to avoid taeniasis. Humans are the only hosts for Taenia tapeworms, and pass tapeworm segments and eggs in feces which contaminate the soil in areas where sanitation is poor. The eggs survive in a moist environment for days to months, and cows and pigs become infected after feeding in the contaminated areas.

Once inside the animal, the eggs hatch in the intestine and migrate to the muscle where it develops into cysticerci, which can survive for several years. This infects humans when they eat contaminated raw or undercooked beef or pork, according to the CDC.

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