The tapeworm, shown in different locations inside the brain in this series of photos, was successfully removed by doctors. Photo: Vox
How a tapeworm lived in man’s brain for years
A man has had a live tapeworm lodged in his brain for at least four years.
The parasite was found after the 50-year-old man checked into a hospital complaining of headaches, weird smells, seizures, and memory problems.
Doctors performed brain surgery and removed it, news website Vox reported Monday.
How did the get a tapeworm get in his brain?
Because it wasn’t any ordinary tapeworm. In the United States, tapeworms ordinarily live in stomachs and can be found in dogs and cats as they can be carried as larvae by fleas.
This brain tapeworm is rare. It lives in some Asian countries (the man had recently been to China) and can be acquired through eating undercooked frog meat or drinking contaminated water, according to the reporty
Scientists later sequenced its genome — the first of this species. They hope to find clues in its DNA of what kinds of drugs will best fight it in the future.
– Contact us at english@hkej.com
RA
http://www.ejinsight.com/20141124-how-a-tapeworm-lived-in-mans-brain-for-years/
