Australia: Eight cm long live worm found in woman’s brain

A neurosurgeon investigated a 64-year-old woman’s mysterious symptoms The mind An eight-centimeter-long worm has been taken out.

Surgeon Haripriya Bandi, who was operating on the scalp of a female patient, noticed that the parasite (in the skull), believed to be the first of its kind in the world, was still alive.

Local media reported, quoting Dr Bundy: ‘I thought: What is this? It doesn’t make any sense. But it is alive and moving.’ They pulled it out with the help of tongs. ‘It went on and on and on. We all felt bad for a while.’

According to a case study published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases shortly after the operation last year: ‘The roundworm (Ophidascaris robertsii) was still moving.’ It was the larva of an endemic parasite found in Australia, not previously known to be a human parasite.

Dr Bandi co-authored the case study with Sanjay Senanayake, an infectious disease physician at Canberra Hospital. Dr Senanayake said he was on duty at the hospital in June last year when the worm was found.

Dr Senanayake said: ‘I got a call that we have a patient with an infection problem. We have just removed a live worm from this patient’s brain. This is the first human case of Ophidascaris described in the world.’

The woman’s symptoms first started in January 2021, doctors said. ‘He first complained of abdominal pain and diarrhoea, followed by fever, cough and shortness of breath.’

The patient was first admitted to a local hospital in late January 2021 after suffering from abdominal pain and diarrhea for three weeks. After that he had constant dry cough and fever and night sweats.

These symptoms are likely to be due to the migration of roundworm larvae from the intestines to other organs such as the liver and lungs, he said.

When (patient) respiratory samples and lung biopsies were performed, no parasites could be identified in these tissue samples.

Another study author, Karina Kennedy, from Canberra Hospital, said: ‘Trying to identify microscopic larvae at the moment, which have never before caused infection in the human body, is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. was synonymous.’

By 2022, doctors said the patient was experiencing forgetfulness and depression. He underwent an MRI scan, which showed a lesion in the right frontal lobe of the brain.

Dr. Senanayake said the brain biopsy was expected to reveal cancer or an abscess.

One doctor said: ‘This patient was treated for a mysterious illness, which we thought was ultimately an immunological condition, because at first we couldn’t find the parasite and then all of a sudden this big lump. appeared in the front part of the brain.’

Dr Senanayake added: ‘Suddenly (Dr Bandi) with the tongs she is picking up the object which is moving. He and everyone in that operating theater was completely stunned.’

Dr Bandi said his patient regained consciousness after the worm was successfully removed. ‘She was very grateful to have an answer to what was causing her anxiety.’

Six months after the worm was removed, the patient’s neuropsychiatric symptoms improved, although they persisted, the journal article said.

Dr. Senanayake said the patient was sent home immediately after the surgery and did not return to the hospital after that. ‘She’s recovered, but obviously it’s a new infection, we’re keeping a close eye on it,’ the doctor told Ten Network television.

This worm is usually found in large snakes called carpet pythons. Its larvae are usually found in small mammals and marsupials, which are then eaten by larger snakes, completing the life cycle in the snake.

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The worm usually lives in the alimentary canal and stomach of the python and lays its eggs in the host’s feces, the researchers said. Humans would be considered an accidental host of Ophidascaris robertsi larvae, he said.

This patient from south-eastern New South Wales likely acquired the worm while gathering native grasses (warrigal greens) near a lake near her residence.

This may be where the larger snake may have dropped the parasite through its feces.

In the new case study, researchers said the woman had used warrigal greens grass for cooking and was likely infected with the parasite after touching or eating the same grass.

Roundworms are capable of thriving in a wide range of environments.

They cause abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, hunger, weight loss, fever, and fatigue in humans.

Researchers warned that the case highlights the risk of diseases and infections being transmitted from animals to humans in a world where habitats are becoming increasingly close together.

Dr Senanayake said: ‘In the last 30 years there have been around 30 new infections worldwide. About 75 percent of emerging infections worldwide are zoonotic, that is, transmitted from the animal world to the human world. This includes the corona virus.’

Dr Kennedy said: ‘People who garden or grow forage for food should wash their hands after gardening and after handling forage products.

‘Food used for salad or cooking should also be thoroughly washed, and kitchen floors and cutting boards should be cleaned before and after use.’

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#Australia #long #live #worm #womans #brain

**Interview with Dr. Haripriya Bandi⁣ on the⁣ Discovery ⁢of a Live Roundworm in a Patient’s Brain**

**Editor:** Good afternoon, Dr. ⁤Bandi. Thank you for ‌joining us today. ​Let’s dive right into this extraordinary case you were involved in. Can ‍you start by explaining how this unusual situation came to your attention?

**Dr. Bandi:** ⁢Good afternoon! Thank you for having me. The case came ⁢to ​my attention when ​a 64-year-old ‍woman​ presented with a range of perplexing symptoms that had developed over the course of nearly two years. Initially, she had abdominal pain and diarrhea, which later progressed ⁣to respiratory issues and cognitive decline. It was​ during a biopsy that we made the astonishing discovery.

**Editor:** A roundworm in her ⁣brain is certainly shocking. Can you describe the moment you ⁤realized what you were dealing with?

**Dr. Bandi:** Absolutely. When I was performing the surgery, I came ⁤across something⁣ that was alive and moving within her skull. It was incredibly surreal. At first, I couldn’t believe ⁢what I was ​seeing; it didn’t ⁤make any‍ sense⁤ that a worm was residing in her brain. The team⁤ and I ‍were stunned when we realized​ it was a live larval roundworm, specifically Ophidascaris robertsi.

**Editor:** For our audience unfamiliar with this type of worm,⁤ could you explain how this parasite is typically associated ⁤with snakes and why it⁢ ended up in⁢ a human?

**Dr. Bandi:** Ophidascaris robertsi is predominantly found in carpet pythons, where it typically resides in the digestive system. The larvae can infect small mammals and⁤ marsupials, which are then eaten by larger snakes,​ completing the life ​cycle. Humans are‌ considered accidental hosts; in this case, it seems the woman likely acquired the worm while foraging for native grasses near a lake where snakes may‍ inhabit.

**Editor:** That’s⁤ fascinating yet terrifying. After the surgery, how did the patient respond, and ​what has‍ her recovery been ⁢like since the removal‌ of the worm?

**Dr. Bandi:** After the operation, she ⁣regained ⁤consciousness, and it was heartening to see her relief when we ‌explained the cause of her‍ symptoms. It’s been six​ months, and while she has shown improvement in her neuropsychiatric symptoms,​ issues persist. However, she was discharged and has not required further hospital treatment, which ‌is a positive sign.

**Editor:** It’s incredible how this case has shed light on a parasite not previously⁤ known to⁢ infect‍ humans. What does this discovery mean for future research or medical practice?

**Dr. Bandi:** This case highlights the importance of understanding zoonotic ‌diseases and reinforces the need for increased awareness among​ healthcare‌ providers ‌when ⁣faced with unusual epidemiological cases. It underscores ​that there’s still so ‌much to learn about parasites⁤ and their potential effects on human health.

**Editor:** Thank you so much, Dr. Bandi, for sharing your insights and the details of this remarkable case.​ It’s a vivid reminder of the intricacies of nature and how they can intersect with human health ⁤in unexpected ways.

**Dr. Bandi:** Thank you for having me, and ⁤I hope‌ sharing⁤ this story helps educate and inspire others in the medical field.