Heard about Wang Lei? Well, I have but it’s not the way you think. This guy had to be operated because of a brain tumour. What’s so special about that? That tumour was a 12 cm Tapeworm Eats Man’s Brain For 15 years.
Wang Lei felt this numbness on the left side of his body, and this was way back in 2007. After that, his health got worse with each doctor’s visit. And there were lots of doctors apparently – he had consulted multiple specialists and was even on medication for a malignant brain tumour, but at the same time they were trying to figure out the issues he had.
But nothing worked and the condition he had got worse to a point where he blacked out, had seizures.
What Happened?
It was only in 2018 that doctors found a tapeworm inside the brain. But it was in an area that was difficult to reach and advised on removing it using non-surgical treatments.
When these treatments didn’t work, he opted for surgery to remove it physically at the Guangdong Sanjiu Brain Hospital. This took 2 hours and finally managed to extract a parasite called ‘Sparganummansoni’. It took as long as it did because this worm was still alive, and all traces had to be removed otherwise it could grow again.
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How This Happens?
No need to get scared, as this parasite only resides cats and dogs and not people. Lei’s doctor in the Guangdong Sanjiu Brain Hospital, a Dr. Gu, said that this they’ve seen this case before, and it usually comes from the foods we eat – the same foods that normally carry this kind parasite. The hospital had treated four cases that year itself.
They recommend that people have to be careful about they cook foods, particularly things like snails, snakes, frogs that have to be cooked thoroughly. The same goes for raw foods like sushi, pieces of seasoned and uncooked foods that are rolled in rice. And to not drink water from unclean sources unless it’s been boiled.
What Might Have Happened?
No one knows how Wang got this tapeworm from. The movement of this parasite in the subcutaneous tissues is normally painless but when it’s on the spine, the brain results in a series of neurological disorders. These can include weakness, headache, seizures, skin sensations of tingling and numbness.
Apparently, this parasite can live for more than twenty years. The CDC or centre for disease control, says that tapeworms don’t hideout in human brains. They normally reside in the stomachs of animals especially fish, shellfish, frogs, snakes, snails – and as you already know, people do eat such items in different parts of the world, and South East Asia where Wang lives. So, in Wang’s case, he may have eaten some sushi, fish, or shellfish some years ago that may have been raw or not cooked properly.
So, this is how Tapeworm Eats Man’s Brain For 15 years. To read more contents like this, stay in touch.