Woman Recuperating After Doctors Remove Worm in Brain

Here's something to think about next time you eat pork. I can't imagine what it would be like to know there was a dead creature decaying in my brain. Yuck!

An Arizona woman says she's feeling good, a little more than a week after undergoing six hours of surgery to remove a worm that had lodged in her brain.

Dawn Becerra and her doctors believe the parasite got into her system three years ago, when she ate a pork taco while on a visit to Mexico.
Becerra said she was ill for three weeks after eating the taco. Soon after, she began suffering violent seizures. Later, doctors determined she had a parasitic worm in her brain and it had caused neurocysticercosis � a lesion in her brain.

Although Becerra seems to have kept a good attitude � she even gave the worm a nickname, Tonya � she said the seizures it caused were devastating. She reached a point where she could no longer tolerate them.

"You have to be conscious that you can have them at any time," Becerra told ABCNEWS' Good Morning America on Thursday, "and I lived with the thought that there was a worm in my brain."
abcnews.go.com...

Well...thats disturbing. I dont think I will be taking a trip to Mexico anytime soon. Or if I do, I totally will not eat the food.

Aww man... That is disgusting. I think it will be awhile before I'll think of pork the same way...

How many people in Mexico have worms in their brains?

ok, this brainworm thing is just plain gross...
I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight...

C O O L ! ! ! ! !

Wow, I remember a picture of a worm in someone s eye ..but this topic alwayys takes me back to the good ol' days of the guinea worm epicdemic...man, those were the days...sigh
www.cdc.gov...

seriously, its close to being eradicated THANK GOD ..I would just die,...I think I would rather have a worm in my brain
--Kristine

Something to think about: It was a tape worm. I can assure you if you dont cook pork to at least 165 degrees F then you too could get a tape worm no matter where you live. They live in pork. They love pork, who doesn't? Give the worms a break. Who can't resist a slab of bacon especially greasy and half cooked with two or three runny eggs on the side.

Serious though, Cook pork and if you have second thoughts about it, dont eat it.

How did it get there?
I thought that there was a barrier (the Blood/brain barrier) between the bloodstream and the brain.

Originally posted by TexasConspiracyNut
Something to think about: It was a tape worm. I can assure you if you dont cook pork to at least 165 degrees F then you too could get a tape worm no matter where you live. They live in pork. They love pork, who doesn't? Give the worms a break. Who can't resist a slab of bacon especially greasy and half cooked with two or three runny eggs on the side.

Serious though, Cook pork and if you have second thoughts about it, dont eat it.

I don't think that is correct, but I could be wrong. I think you are referring to trichinosis. Check this out and correct me if I am wrong: www.health.state.ny.us...

Also the article at the top of this thread said this:

Doctors at Arizona's Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale believe the taco contained Taenia solium, a parasite that is common in Latin America. It can be transmitted by infected food prepared by someone who has not followed proper sanitation procedures after coming into contact with the creature's eggs, which can be present in human feces.

Basically it is from taking a crap and not washing your hands.

A little story: My dad and I were on a dive trip to Mexico and we were at a local restaurant for dinner. I went to use the restroom and noticed my waiter leaving the stall and he left without washing his hands! The worst part is that I had to use the stall after him and noticed there was no toilet paper Can you say HANDi-wipe?

I remember this from several months ago. I think it passed to her brain through an ulcer and several other worms were found in her digestive tract but it has been a while so please dont quote me.

I do know that it was a tape worm. A tape worm is very resorseful and is the perfect companion to the human host. Think about it from this perspective; they have been found in a humans' digestive system in tact at least 6 feet long. You can read more at. www.webmd.com.

Humm? I just clicked on the link. Seems like the same case to me even though it is dated 2001. Is this the name of a tape worm?

(quote)
Doctors at Arizona's Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale believe the taco contained Taenia solium, a parasite that is common in Latin America. It can be transmitted by infected food prepared by someone who has not followed proper sanitation procedures after coming into contact with the creature's eggs, which can be present in human feces.

If I'm wrong then I'll be the first to say so.

Sorry everyone, a little slow tonite. See you tomorrow. Time to go nite, nite. My fault.

Hey Tex, no problem. Get some sleep.

BTW, the scientific name for the tape worm is: Moniezia expansa

The one from Mexico, you know that nasty brain worm, well his scientific name is: Taenia solium

They are both contracted from contact with feces though

Originally posted by nyarlathotep
How many people in Mexico have worms in their brains?

This is a quote from the article that makes you wonder:

The World Health Organization says neurocysticercosis is a common cause of epilepsy in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

I'm begining to feel sick now. It's too bad I have a fear of worms. I don't think I would want to live if I was that person. I love bacon too; I use to eat tons of it, and pork chops. I think being a vegetarian wouldn't be so bad.

could this be one of the reasons that Muslims and Jews choose not to eat Pork and find it so unclean? It just might be.

thankfully, i don't eat pork..now if only I can get my husband to stop eating it too...but that ain't happening.

parasites like this is probably why some religions have taboos against eating pork. in areas where sanitation isn't good and you can't be sure of cooking temperature, it's just good sense.

Originally posted by Netchicken
How did it get there?
I thought that there was a barrier (the Blood/brain barrier) between the bloodstream and the brain.

Netchicken, the barrier you are thinking of might be
the, 'dura mater'.
S.