A Woman Had EIGHT of These Mini-Monsters Lodged in Her Brain

[mfcorey1]

Everyone gets headaches, so it’s not crazy to think that you’d put off seeing the doctor when you get one or a few.

That’s what happened to Texas resident Yadira Rostro, who finally went to the hospital after experiencing headaches and blurred vision for months.

After investigating, doctors discovered there were sacs of larvae from eight tapeworm eggs growing in her brain. That’s right—she had tapeworms in her brain. And they were making their presence felt.

Sometimes my sight was impaired...I could not see properly," Yadira, 31, told USA Today.

Doctors say they think she picked up the parasite during a trip to Mexico two years ago after eating food that was contaminated with fecal matter.

While the parasites would normally work through your body, these ended up in Yadira’s bloodstream and eventually her brain. As the tapeworms grew, they backed up fluid in Yadira’s brain and caused the headaches, her doctors said. Here's a photo of what one of the tapeworm sacs removed from her brain looked like:Image courtesy of Methodist Health System

But this is one of those completely crazy medical outliers, right? Er…no.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/a-woman-had-eight-of-these-mini-monsters-lodged-in-her-brain/ar-AAenCt3

[spanone]

1. damn, i ate in mexico several times this year!!!!!!

[PufPuf23]

2. There is a horror movie waiting to be made - see larva photo at link nt

[pinboy3niner]

9. Coming soon to SyFy...TAPEWORMNADO!

And don't miss the upcoming sequel...SHARKNADO MEETS TAPEWORMNADO!

[PufPuf23]

10. You are so funny near everyday at DU. Thank you.

I tried to be funny today about naming port-a-pottys after GOP POTUS candidates but no one notices alas.

But I have had fun as evidenced by editing a Lounge post 3X.

[pinboy3niner]

12. ThankYOU

You edit your Lounge posts? What are you THINKING?

[TeeYiYi]

3. This thread needs a picture...

Ew.



TYY

[Vinca]

6. Oh no. This thread definitely does not need a picture.

Aaaaaaaaaarrrrgh. That's the stuff of nightmares.

[NuclearDem]

13. OH GOD WHY

KILL IT

KILL IT

REPENT REPENT

[pinboy3niner]

14. God obviously is after our brains

Proving, once and for all, that God is a zombie.

[CAG]

4. The article's correct; neurocysticercosis is not really uncommon, and her story fits

the typical case that we see: traveling to Mexico, drinking unsafe water, and neurocysticercosis develops.

At a university hospital in Chicago, we would see about 2 or 3 cases per year, where I'm at now, not so much.

[irisblue]

5. blood brain barrier didn't work here.

poor woman

[Warpy]

7. Not on organisms that can chew right through it.

It also doesn't work on infections traveling through the blood stream. I've seen brain abscesses develop from dental problems, although burning out the valves in the heart is more common.

The Mexicans don't drink the water unless they boil it first. It's always best to do what the locals do.

[LWolf]

8. shuddershuddershudder

I wish that I had not clicked on that link.

shudder

I think I'll go wash my hands...even though I just got done with a sink full of hot soapy water washing dishes.

[eppur_se_muova]

11. Also commonly acquired by going barefoot -- eggs live in the soil, left in droppings.

Book rec:



http://www.powells.com/biblio/9780312306014