The man went to the doctor because the migraines he often experienced wouldn't go away. He was examined and revealed perhaps everyone's nightmare: tapeworm larvae in the brain. Pork tapeworm larvae, to be more precise.
Scarcity
It cannot be determined exactly how the man became infected, but given his “preference for pork,” it is clear that the cause must be looked for there, according to the American Journal of Case Reports. That would be rare. Foods contaminated with tapeworm are very rare in the United States due to strict food safety controls.
In addition to contaminated food, tapeworm eggs can also be spread through water or faecal debris, for example in a public toilet. Anyone who doesn't wash their hands properly after (indirect) contact with their predecessor on the toilet could be costly.
In any case, the nightmare is over for the 52-year-old American. Thanks to anti-parasitic and anti-inflammatory medications, he made a full recovery.
