Multiple brain scans were required to find the true culprit behind the man’s worsening headaches.
When a 60-year-old man in Spain sought medical help for persistent headaches, doctors feared the worst. Initial brain scans revealed several poorly defined lesions – abnormal areas that often raise suspicion of metastatic cancer. But a closer look completely changed the diagnosis. To pinpoint the suspected tumours, doctors ordered a higher-resolution MRI. Instead of cancer, the scan revealed multiple cysts caused by the larvae of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. The unusual case was later documented in the medical journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Blood tests confirmed the man had neurocysticercosis, a parasitic infection that occurs when Taenia solium eggs are swallowed and travel through the body, eventually forming fluid-filled cysts in the brain. The patient, who is from Castellon, Spain, had never travelled abroad, making the diagnosis even more unexpected.
Unlike infections caused by eating undercooked pork, which typically lead to adult tapeworms living in the intestines, this condition develops after a person ingests tapeworm eggs. Once inside the body, the larvae can migrate to different organs, including the brain, where they form cysts that may later calcify.
Neurocysticercosis is one of the leading causes of acquired epilepsy in many parts of the world. Symptoms can include chronic headaches, seizures, dizziness, muscle weakness, speech difficulties, and memory problems. If left untreated, it can lead to serious complications such as increased pressure inside the skull and recurrent, potentially life-threatening seizures.
Fortunately, the Spanish patient responded well to treatment with the antiparasitic drugs albendazole and praziquantel. Depending on the severity of the infection, doctors may also prescribe anti-inflammatory medications to reduce swelling and drugs to control seizures, headaches, or elevated pressure within the brain.
Although neurocysticercosis is uncommon in Europe, it is not unheard of. According to the World Health Organization, around 2.8 million people are infected with Taenia solium each year, with most cases reported in Asia, South America, and parts of Eastern Europe.
