A man in Spain sought medical attention for persistent headaches, but initial brain scans suggesting a malignant tumor turned out to be a parasitic infection. Doctors at first believed the poorly-defined lesions seen on the scans indicated cancer that had spread throughout the brain.
Following the initial scan, a more detailed MRI was performed to pinpoint the location of what was presumed to be tumors. Instead, the scan revealed the presence of pork tapeworm larvae. A blood test specific to Taenia solium confirmed the parasitic infection, according to a report published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. The 60-year-old patient had no history of traveling abroad, suggesting he contracted the infection locally.
The parasite, Taenia solium, enters the human body when its larval eggs are ingested. These eggs can hatch, burrow into the gut, and form fluid-filled cysts. While adult tapeworms can develop in the human gut, the larvae can also travel throughout the body, potentially embedding in and calcifying soft tissues. Ingesting undercooked pork is a common way to contract adult tapeworms, but the man's condition, known as neurocysticercosis, resulted from swallowing the eggs, which then migrated to his brain.
Neurocysticercosis can manifest with symptoms including headaches, seizures, dizziness, muscle weakness, speech difficulties, and memory problems. If left untreated, the condition can lead to severe complications such as increased intracranial pressure or continuous seizures, which can be life-threatening.
While rare in Europe, cases of neurocysticercosis are not unheard of. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 2.8 million people worldwide are infected with Taenia solium annually, with frequent reports from Asia, South America, and Eastern Europe. Treatment typically involves antiparasitic drugs like albendazole and praziquantel, often in conjunction with anti-inflammatory medications to reduce swelling and drugs to manage symptoms like seizures or elevated skull pressure.
Last year, a widely shared case involved an X-ray depicting a patient whose body was extensively affected by a pork tapeworm infection, as shared by emergency room doctor Sam Ghali. The patient in that instance was believed to have contracted the condition from consuming raw or undercooked pork containing the parasite's larval cysts. The image of the X-ray, showing the body riddled with parasites, was described as one of the "most insane X-rays" encountered by the doctor.