Last week, we had a 7 year old boy coming into emergency with sudden onset seizures. There was no fever. We were almost sure about what we were dealing with.
Taperworm cyst inside the brain .. .. ..
Something which we see quite commonly.
Another tropical condition which is quite neglected. I don't know about data. But here at NJH, we've quite a lot of patients on anti-seizure medication after the cysts were found inside their brain. Including staff and their relatives . . .
The traditional and commonly held knowledge is that the infestation is seen in people who eat partially cooked pork. But, what we have in this part of the country is that quite a lot of the patients with neurocysticercosis are vegetarians.
Of course, we all know the cause.
The following chart gives the reason . . .
And what could be the major source. This is what I believe is the major culprit.
Yes . . . Salads . . .
Purported to be very healthy, salads are a major presence in almost diets . . . In addition, the practice of eating raw vegetables.
Raw vegetables are of course very good from a health point of view. But if they are not washed properly, they could be harbouring eggs of the tapeworm.
Below is the boy's CT Scan . . . shows the ring shaped lesion.
So, the next time, you delve into salads, be sure that the vegetables are thoroughly washed.
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