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Man Develops Pork Worms In Brain From Unusual Cooking Habit
A man developed ‘pork worms’ in his brain after years of an unusual cooking habit.
Unless you’re a vegetarian or vegan, there’s a high chance that you’re a big fan of bacon, as it’s a versatile food for breakfast or in the classic sandwich.
But one unnamed patient, who is a huge fan of bacon (like many of us), ended up being admitted to the hospital after he was suffering from excruciating migraine headaches and severe pain across the back of his head for weeks.
Anyone who’s had a migraine before will tell you what a hellish experience it is, so the 52-year-old man sought help from medics to try and get to the bottom of the problem.
The patient was taken for tests, which revealed his brain was covered in ‘cyst-like lesions.’ Medical imaging showed numerous formations distributed throughout his brain tissue, leaving doctors puzzled about the cause, the Express reports.
After further testing, it was revealed that the cysts were filled with parasitic larvae, a discovery that would lead to weeks of intensive medical treatment.
The patient had to spend ‘several weeks’ in intensive care as medical professionals worked to address the serious infection that had taken hold in his brain.
He was treated with a course of anti-parasite medication along with anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the swelling caused by the cysts and combat the underlying infection.
Medics were initially baffled about how the patient had contracted such an unusual infection. Earlier comparable cases had involved patients who had traveled to isolated regions of South America, Africa, and Asia, where they had accidentally encountered contaminated environments.
However, this man’s only recent travel had been a cruise to the Bahamas two years prior, where such an infection would have been highly improbable.
The breakthrough came when medics finally solved the mystery by questioning the patient more extensively about his daily habits. The man confessed to his unusual breakfast routine that had been going on for decades.
It turns out that he had a lifelong preference for ‘lightly cooked’ bacon that was barely cooked through, as he didn’t like crispy bacon.
Doctors concluded that this ‘lifelong preference for soft bacon’ was the likely culprit behind his serious medical condition.
According to health guidelines, to avoid food poisoning or other transmitted illnesses, bacon should be cooked to at least 145°F (63°C).
Unlike bigger cuts of meat, which you can easily check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer, it can be much more difficult to check the temperature of bacon due to how thin it is.
However, cooking bacon until it becomes crispy should ensure it reaches a safe temperature, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The medical case notes stated that ‘undercooked pork consumption is a theoretical risk factor’ and noted: “It is historically very unusual to encounter infected pork in the United States, and our case may have public health implications.”
Food experts recommend letting bacon ‘rest at room temperature for approximately 15 minutes before you cook’ to ensure even cooking without burning.
“Just a few minutes on your kitchen counter will let your bacon warm up thoroughly, allowing it to cook more evenly in the oven or stove top,” they advise.
However, they warn: “Don’t forget about your meat and have it sit at room temperature for over two hours, as harmful bacteria could spread through your food if left out for too long.”
The parasites responsible for this man’s condition are tapeworm larvae, specifically from Taenia solium, commonly known as the pork tapeworm.
These parasites are usually found in pigs and can cause a serious condition called cysticercosis when they infect humans.
When someone consumes undercooked pork infected with these larvae, the parasites can travel throughout the body, forming cysts in various tissues, including muscles, liver, lungs, and, in severe cases like this one, the brain.
When the larvae reach the brain, the condition is called neurocysticercosis, which can cause severe headaches, seizures, and other serious neurological problems.
The World Health Organization estimates that Taenia solium larvae cysts in the brain are responsible for up to 70 percent of epilepsy cases in some parts of the world.
The patient’s physicians documented in the American Journal of Case Reports: “The patient was successfully treated with regression of lesions and improvement of headaches,” though he remained under outpatient supervision following his intensive care treatment.
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