Would you handle certain foods more carefully if you knew that a tapeworm infection can, in rare cases, reach the brain? These parasites can cause serious health problems, and some of them are linked to undercooked pork.
Several years ago, a man was examined because of his constant headaches, and his case became part of a study conducted in Cambridge.
This man reported that prior to these examinations, he had visited China.
This country is known to have the most cases of the Spirometra erinaceieuropaei parasite, which has also been reported in Japan, Thailand, and South Korea.
The worm was causing not only headaches, but also weakness and seizures.
This man was diagnosed with sparganosis, which is a parasitic infection caused by the larvae (plerocercoids) of diphyllobothroid tapeworms.
Since this type of infection usually does not respond well to medication, the man needed to undergo surgery.
There are various types of tapeworms, but just 3 of them may infect the brain, and the best known is the pork tapeworm.
A pork tapeworm infection can come from consuming undercooked pork from an animal that was infected with this parasite. This can result in taeniasis, which is a disease caused by the adult worm living in the human intestine.
The second type of infection occurs when tapeworm eggs are swallowed, usually through contact with feces from an infected person or through contaminated food and water. This results in the condition known as neurocysticercosis. It is characterized by larval worms infecting the brain and nervous system. This infection is serious, since it can lead to epilepsy.
Although this type of infection is most common in parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the global distribution of the pork tapeworm is increasing, which raises the number of potential new cases around the world.
There are medications that doctors use for this infection, and in some cases surgery is needed to remove the parasite. Other things to keep in mind are the world food trade and international travel, which increase the risk of consuming infected food.
The practical advice is simple: cook pork thoroughly, wash your hands before preparing food and after using the toilet, and drink safe water when you travel. If you have ongoing headaches, seizures, or other unusual symptoms, see a doctor.
Sharing this information helps raise awareness about the problem.
Via Live Science
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always talk to your doctor about any health concern.