Australian woman’s ongoing medical problems took an unexpected turn when doctors found a live worm in her brain. The 64-year-old patient had been receiving treatment for various symptoms, including pneumonia, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dry cough, fever, night sweats, depression, and memory lapses.
Things escalated in 2022 when an MRI revealed brain abnormalities, leading to a recommended surgery by medical experts. Dr. Sanjaya Senanayake, an infectious disease specialist in Canberra, recounted the surprising discovery. He shared that the neurosurgeon on the case was amazed to find a living worm in the woman’s brain.
The surgical team was faced with a 3-inch-long parasitic roundworm known as Ophidascaris robertsi, which is typically associated with snakes like carpet pythons found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
This event marks the first known instance of a snake parasite being discovered in a human. Despite having no direct contact with snakes, the woman lived near a snake-populated lake. Speculation suggests that she might have ingested the worm’s eggs unknowingly through edible grasses used in cooking, like New Zealand spinach.
The medical team had to navigate unfamiliar territory since this parasitic infection had never been seen in humans before. They carefully adjusted the patient’s medication regimen over several months to address her symptoms.
Although the infection doesn’t spread between humans, it does highlight the growing trend of diseases from wildlife affecting human populations. Dr. Senanayake pointed out the rise of zoonotic infections, where around 75% of emerging diseases come from animals, including well-known examples like coronaviruses. Fortunately, unlike Covid-19 or Ebola, this infection doesn’t pose a pandemic risk, as it doesn’t transmit between people.
Nevertheless, considering the prevalence of snakes and parasites in different parts of the world, similar cases could arise in the future. Despite the rarity of the situation, the patient’s condition improved after the discovery. Dr. Senanayake commended her bravery and strength, recognizing that although neurosurgeons often deal with brain infections, this case was unprecedented.
Initially reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this unusual case underscores the unpredictability of medical anomalies.
