Neurocysticercosis (cysts in the brain, spinal cord): Seizures and headaches are the most common symptoms. However, confusion, lack of attention to people and surroundings, difficulty with balance, excess fluid around the brain (called hydrocephalus) may also occur. The disease can result in death.
How long can a tapeworm live in your brain?
The Spirometra tapeworm can live in humans for up to 20 years. A man in China experienced seizures and other mysterious symptoms for years before doctors finally found the cause: He had a rare parasite living in his brain, which had likely been there for more than a decade, according to news reports.
Can tapeworm be removed from brain?
Doctors think the man contracted the parasite in Mexico more than a decade ago after eating undercooked pork. AUSTIN, Texas -- Doctors say it's a miracle after an Austin man successfully had a tapeworm removed from his brain.
Can tapeworms invade the brain?
In Nicaragua and other developing countries tapeworm infections are common, and the larvae can migrate into the brain—a condition called neurocysticercosis. Usually the infection causes seizures as well as large brain cysts that are obvious on an MRI.
How do you get rid of tapeworms in the brain?
The infection is treated with albendazole or praziquantel (drugs used to treat parasitic worm infections, called antihelminthic drugs). However, if a person has many cysts, antihelminthic drugs may kill many organisms, causing the brain to swell significantly.
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