Dr Sam Ghali, an emergency room physician at the University of Florida Health Jacksonville, posted a shocking image on his X account, describing it as “one of the craziest CT scans I’ve ever seen.” The scan showed the patient’s legs riddled with a parasitic infection that had invaded the muscles.
“I’m an ER doctor, and I use this account to teach people about medical emergencies,” said Dr Ghali on X. Using his platform to educate the public, he invited followers to guess the diagnosis, later revealing that the patient had contracted ‘Taenia solium’ or cysticercosis.
What is Cysticercosis?
Cysticercosis is a severe infection caused by the pork tapeworm, where the larvae of the pork tapeworm infiltrate various tissues, including the brain and muscles, often leading to serious health issues. These include lumps under the skin, headaches, and seizures if the infection reaches the brain or spinal cord. The infection is commonly spread through contact with tapeworm-infected human faeces, contaminated food, water, and dirty hands. This
“Humans become infected with ‘T. solium’ by ingesting cysts that can be found in undercooked pork,” Ghali explained. The larvae “penetrate the intestinal wall, invade the bloodstream, and from there, can spread to literally anywhere in the entire body.”
“The prognosis for cysticercosis is generally good, but unfortunately, some cases are fatal. It’s estimated that around 50 million people worldwide are infected each year, resulting in approximately 50,000 deaths,” Ghali said. “Treatment options include anti-parasitic therapy, steroids, anti-epileptics (neurocysticercosis), and surgical removal.”
The infection typically appears on CT scans as white specks, often referred to as “rice grain calcifications.” Dr Ghali noted that within 5-12 weeks, the ingested cysts can develop into mature adult tapeworms. “So the moral of the story here is do your best to keep clean, always wash your hands, and never, ever eat raw or undercooked pork,” he added.
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