Medics have issued a warning about the alarming symptoms of a rare parasitic infection following a woman’s scary experience
A 30-year-old woman from New England, in the USA, was horrified to discover she had rare parasitic worms in her brain after complaining of a burning sensation in her legs and feet.
According to The Mail, the woman was admitted to hospital suffering from headaches and burning in her feet which had risen up her body and through her arms.
She’d recently returned home from a trip to Hawaii, Japan and Thailand, where she consumed raw fish, which doctors believe could have transmitted the parasites to her.
The patient went to A&E twice with symptoms, but doctors didn’t think her condition was serious enough to admit her. She was reportedly sent home with anxiety medicine.
However, she was later taken to hospital for more tests, and doctors performed a lumbar puncture to take a closer look at her symptoms.
According to the publication, the test provided clues that she had a parasitic infection caused by the roundworm Angiostrongylus cantonensis, more commonly known as rat lungworm.
The infections caused inflammation in the woman’s brain, leading to burning pains in her limbs.
Roundworms are a known issue in Hawaii and have been in the news in recent years due to small outbreaks on the island.
There were 19 confirmed cases in 2017, but the number has stayed below 10 in the years since.
The parasites’ life cycle involves rats, snails, and slugs. Rats release larvae in their droppings, which are eaten by snails or slugs and develop into third-stage larvae. When larvae are ingested by rats, they can migrate to their brain and lay eggs.
People become infected by ingesting third-stage larvae from undercooks nails, slugs or contaminated vegetables.
According to reports, the larvae migrate up into the brain and cause symptoms such as burning limbs. Once in the brain, they typically die before reaching adulthood.
The woman from New England is understood to have likely been infected when a snail or slug came in contact with food prepared for her during her travels.
The Mail says she was “treated with a combination of medications to address her symptoms and infection”.
She was given a 14-day course of a steroid which started to reduce pain and inflammation. The American was discharged from the hospital after six days, reportedly feeling much better.
Her early diagnosis and treatments played a vital role in her recovery, as the infection can be fatal if left untreated by doctors.
