WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A 52-year-old man, who has been consuming undercooked bacon for years, has been found to have a tapeworm larva growing in his brain, according to a report in the American Journal of Case Reports.
The study stated that the man used to visit doctors regularly complaining of frequent and severe migraines. However, despite doctors' treatments, his pain became worse, especially around the back of his skull.
Later, a CT X-ray scan revealed several cysts deep within the white matter part of his brain, which plays an important role in connecting nerve cells. Further scans uncovered multiple cysts in the front and middle part of his brain's outer layer.
Based on the scans, the doctors confirmed that the man had neurocysticercosis, a parasitic infection caused by the tapeworm Taenia solium.
Notably, neurocysticercosis occurs in people who ingest parasite-contaminated food or water. The symptoms vary based on the part of the brain that gets infected. However, 80 percent of the infected people suffer from seizures.
'Historically, developed countries have not been major hotbeds for infection due to high scrutiny of food safety and sanitary standards,' researchers noted.
The doctors noticed that the infected man had not traveled outside the U.S., or come in contact with pigs.
Finally, the researchers found that the man's habit of eating undercooked bacon and not washing his hands properly after using the bathroom was the main cause of tapeworm growth in his brain.
However, the patient was saved after receiving treatment with anti-parasitic and anti-inflammatory drugs.
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