Tapeworms are most commonly thought of to be found in the digestive tract, but new evidence shows that certain tapeworms can actually live in the human brain. If that wasn't bad enough, the incident of brain tapeworms is higher than one might expect and could cause significant brain damage if left untreated.
"Nobody knows exactly how many people there are with it [neurocysticercosis] in the United States," Dr. Theodore Nash of the National Institute of Health in Maryland told Discover Magazine. "Minimally there are 5 million cases of epilepsy from neurocysticercosis."
Cysticerocosis is defined as infection of bodily tissue after exposure to the pork tapeworm through contaminated food or water. The eggs of the tapeworm often move to the brain, causing cysts. Most commonly, the cysts can cause "headache, nausea, and vomiting and may be accompanied by altered mental status," according to a case report by Andrew H. Kerstein and Andrew. D. Massey.
The problem is much worse in Latin America, where it is estimated that the number of people infected with brain tapeworms is between 11 million and 29 million. In other developing countries, the problem is also high. "Neurocysticercosis is a very important disease worldwide," Nash noted.
http://global.christianpost.com/news/brain-tapeworms-more-common-than-previously-thought-75320/
"Nobody knows exactly how many people there are with it [neurocysticercosis] in the United States," Dr. Theodore Nash of the National Institute of Health in Maryland told Discover Magazine. "Minimally there are 5 million cases of epilepsy from neurocysticercosis."
Cysticerocosis is defined as infection of bodily tissue after exposure to the pork tapeworm through contaminated food or water. The eggs of the tapeworm often move to the brain, causing cysts. Most commonly, the cysts can cause "headache, nausea, and vomiting and may be accompanied by altered mental status," according to a case report by Andrew H. Kerstein and Andrew. D. Massey.
The problem is much worse in Latin America, where it is estimated that the number of people infected with brain tapeworms is between 11 million and 29 million. In other developing countries, the problem is also high. "Neurocysticercosis is a very important disease worldwide," Nash noted.
http://global.christianpost.com/news/brain-tapeworms-more-common-than-previously-thought-75320/
