Tapeworm Found In Brain Of Austin Man

AUSTIN, TX — What began as incessant headaches culminating in a fainting spell for an Austin man was the discovery of a tapeworm inside his brain, according to local reports.

In what Ascension Seton hospital neurosurgeon Dr. Jordan Amadio categorized as "rare and truly extraordinary," the unidentified patient may have contracted the parasite after eating pork outside the U.S., KXAN reported. Following a complex surgery, the patient was cured of the headaches and is back to normal, the news station added.

Coincidentally, a tapeworm also was found in the patient's sister years earlier, according to the report. It's unclear when the man's case emerged.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people can become infected with tapeworms by eating raw or under-cooked beef or pork. Unlike the man in the Austin case, many people unknowingly hosting a tapeworm — the official term for which is "Taeniasis — may not even be aware they are afflicted as symptoms are usually mild or nonexistent.

Officials at the Mayo Clinic urge people to visit their physicians to undergo a battery of tests in determining whether they have been infected by a tapeworm. Common treatments include oral medication, according to the site. For more invasive infections, corticosteroid treatement or surgery are among the options, the Mayo Clinic noted.

>>> Read the full story at KXAN