Pork Tapeworms on the Brain

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM · September 4, 2011 · Volume 5

4.4/5 - (10 votes)

Neurocysticercosis, infection with pork tapeworm larvae brain parasites, is an increasingly serious public health problem in the United States, potentially causing headaches, dizziness, seizures, other neurological disorders, and sudden death.

Discuss

Transcript

Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.

The most common cause of adult-onset epilepsy in the world is called neurocysticercosis, which literally means pork tapeworms curled up inside our brain.

A review last year out of the Mayo Clinic describes the problem. “Cysticerci [meaning the pork tapeworm larvae] create cavities in the human brain and other body tissue where their tiny bodies grow sometimes into tapeworms two to seven meters in length and can live up to 25 years in the human body.” Seven meters means 23 feet long.

On MRI, so called “wormholes” appear.

On CT scan, there can be so many in the brain at one time, it can appear “similar to a starry sky…Each star is a fluid filled cyst with the beginning of a living, growing tapeworm inside.”

This is what they look like on autopsy.

This is what their face looks like. They have these rings of hooks to grab onto our brain tissue.

Earlier this year, a review was published by the CDC on the public health implications of cysticercosis acquired in the United States. “[Pork tapeworms on the brain] has emerged as a cause of severe neurologic disease in the United States.”

Even after pork tapeworm larvae infect our brain, “some people…remain asymptomatic their entire lives…, while others [can go for years without symptoms, and] then suddenly become very ill with seizures, headaches, and other focal neurological deficits as the larvae multiply within the nervous system…and other tissue[s],” and “can cause sudden death” just due to the pressure buildup in the brain.

Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

Sources

Acknowledgements

Images thanks to DLC, the Universidad de Puerto Rico, Dr. E. Ross, Dr. M. Gupta, Dr DK Pal, Dr F. Gaillard, and Dr. R. Prasad

Topics

Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.

The most common cause of adult-onset epilepsy in the world is called neurocysticercosis, which literally means pork tapeworms curled up inside our brain.

A review last year out of the Mayo Clinic describes the problem. “Cysticerci [meaning the pork tapeworm larvae] create cavities in the human brain and other body tissue where their tiny bodies grow sometimes into tapeworms two to seven meters in length and can live up to 25 years in the human body.” Seven meters means 23 feet long.

On MRI, so called “wormholes” appear.

On CT scan, there can be so many in the brain at one time, it can appear “similar to a starry sky…Each star is a fluid filled cyst with the beginning of a living, growing tapeworm inside.”

This is what they look like on autopsy.

This is what their face looks like. They have these rings of hooks to grab onto our brain tissue.

Earlier this year, a review was published by the CDC on the public health implications of cysticercosis acquired in the United States. “[Pork tapeworms on the brain] has emerged as a cause of severe neurologic disease in the United States.”

Even after pork tapeworm larvae infect our brain, “some people…remain asymptomatic their entire lives…, while others [can go for years without symptoms, and] then suddenly become very ill with seizures, headaches, and other focal neurological deficits as the larvae multiply within the nervous system…and other tissue[s],” and “can cause sudden death” just due to the pressure buildup in the brain.

Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

Images thanks to DLC, the Universidad de Puerto Rico, Dr. E. Ross, Dr. M. Gupta, Dr DK Pal, Dr F. Gaillard, and Dr. R. Prasad

Doctor's Note

Check out these videos for more about other food-borne illnesses:
Superbugs in Conventional vs. Organic Chicken
Norovirus Food Poisoning from Pesticides
Foster Farms Responds to Chicken Salmonella Outbreaks
Is Meat Glue Safe?
MRSA Superbugs in Meat
Ciguatera Poisoning & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
C. difficile Superbugs in Meat

This continues the brain theme from Avoiding Cholesterol is a No Brainer. See also Avoiding Epilepsy Through Diet, which highlights how even those who abstain from pork may be at risk (i.e., if Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn can get pork tapeworms, anyone can get pork tapeworms).

For more context, also check out my associated blog post Contagion: bad timing for CDC report of new swine flu strain.

If you haven't yet, you can subscribe to our free newsletter. With your subscription, you'll also get notifications for just-released blogs and videos. Check out our information page about our translated resources.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This