Tapeworm Infection in Brain Leads to Teen Death

It is called Cysticercosis — an infection caused by the larvae of the parasite Taenia solium or popularly known as pork tapeworm. This infection occurs after a person swallows tapeworm eggs.

According to a case study posted in the New England Journal of Medicine website and authored by Drs. Nishanth Dev and S. Zafar Abbas from the ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Faridabad in India, an 18-year-old man presented to the emergency department with generalized tonic–clonic seizures. After conducting the MRI test, the doctors saw “cystic lesions throughout the cerebral cortex and the brain stem and cerebellum.”

Two weeks after his arrival in the ER, the patient died.

Below are few basic questions about Cysticercosis. There are more FAQs provided by CDC.

How do humans get cysticercosis?

People get cysticercosis when they swallow T. solium eggs that are passed in the feces of a human with a tapeworm. Tapeworm eggs are spread through food, water, or surfaces contaminated with feces.  Humans swallow the eggs when they eat contaminated food or put contaminated fingers in their mouth.  Importantly, someone with a tapeworm can infect him-or herself with tapeworm eggs (this is called autoinfection), and can infect others in the family. Eating pork cannot give you cysticercosis.

Is there treatment for cysticercosis?

Yes. Infections are generally treated with anti-parasitic drugs in combination with anti-inflammatory drugs. Surgery is sometimes necessary to treat cysts in certain locations, when patients are not responsive to drug treatment, or to reduce brain swelling.

Can cysticercosis be spread from person to person?

No. Someone with cysticercosis cannot spread the disease to other people.