Worm Removed From Woman's Brain
Source: AOL
Posted: 11/24/08 5:10PM
Filed Under: Science & Tech
A doctor operating on a 37-year-old Phoenix woman thought to have a brain tumor found something entirely different: a parasitic worm.
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ABC News reports that Rosemary Alvarez, who underwent the procedure last summer after experiencing difficulty swallowing and numbness in her left arm, had a tapeworm called Taenia solium inside her head.
It turns out Alvarez likely contracted the tapeworm at some point by eating food tainted with the feces of a person infected with the parasite. "It wasn't that she had poor hygiene, she was just a victim," said neurosurgeon Peter Nakaji, who ended up extracting the worm.
With the exception of a numb feeling in the back of her head, Alvarez has recovered nicely since the operation and is back to living a normal life.
Watch the video below to find out more about Alvarez's ordeal and tell us whether you've ever had a tapeworm.
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