A 64-year-old woman developed a series of unexplained symptoms and was initially diagnosed as pneumonia.
Doctors performed extensive examinations on a 64-year-old woman who presented with fever, cough, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Photo: Hossain, M., Kennedy, KJ, Wilson, HL, Spratt, D., Koehler, A., Gasser, RB… Senanayake, SN (2023).
As surgeons prepared to biopsy the patient, the initial pneumonia surprised the entire medical team. brain of a patient.
This was the prelude to a huge surprise for a group of doctors who didn’t expect to find a Nematodes Alive and moving. This unusual finding was reported as a special case that defied medical expectations and was documented in Emerging Infectious Diseases.
unexpected discovery
Due to persistent symptoms, a 64-year-old woman with fever, cough, abdominal pain, and diarrhea underwent extensive testing with the goal of determining the cause of her acute illness and exploring autoimmune disease and parasitic infection as explanations.
The patient was initially diagnosed with pneumonia with leukocytosis, low hemoglobin, elevated platelets, and extremely high C-reactive protein (102 mg/L; reference value: <10 mg/L), but had not fully recovered on abdominal examination. Pain and diarrhea begin, followed by a dry cough and night sweats.
“We have no doubt at all Nematodes. There’s something not normal there. Could it be a granulomatous lesion? Will I get cancer?Who knows, but a biopsy will have to be done Nematodes This is something that no one would have expected,” said Dr. Sanjaya Senanayake, associate professor of infectious diseases at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia.
Challenging diagnosis
After extensive testing and treatment with steroids and other medications, doctors could not determine the cause of his symptoms.The patient continued to experience fever, respiratory problems and neurological symptoms and eventually underwent a brain MRI and, surprisingly, a biopsy, which revealed Nematodes In its brain.
“The specimen is Ophidascaris robertsi, a Nematodes Typical carpet python (Morelia spilota). Humans have never seen this phenomenon, and the only animals that interfere with their life cycles are small marsupials and mammals eaten by pythons,” explains the magazine Univadis.
unprecedented infection
this Nematodes This is a species usually associated with snakes, and there is no doubt that this is an unprecedented discovery for humans.In fact, this parasite will arrive brain There are questions about how humans become infected, with the closest guess being that larval eggs may have been inadvertently ingested.
The woman lived near a lake known to have carpet pythons, so the eggs could have been on plants she collected, on her hands or on kitchen utensils, the magazine reported.
Experts note: “If you seek out or use local herbs or plants in a recipe, it is better to cook them rather than prepare a salad. This will further reduce the chance of contracting rare infections.”
How does this worm get to the brain?
Reason for migration Nematodes from intestine to brain The specific circumstances of the patients are unknown, but it has been suggested that long-term treatment with immunosuppressive drugs may promote this shift by reducing normal immune defenses.
“If normal immune barriers are reduced, parasites can more easily move between systems and organs,” Dr. Senanayake explains.
New risks of parasitic infections
This case highlights the importance of considering parasitic infections when diagnosing unusual syndromes, especially when it comes to eosinophilic syndrome (a blood disorder that occurs when you have large numbers of eosinophils (white blood cells)).
“This reflects how populations are invading animal habitats, with increasing interactions between humans and wildlife, and humans and natural flora, increasing the risk of such infections,” the doctor continued.
Call for medical observation
Although this case is unusual, it highlights the need for health professionals to remain highly vigilant and seek accurate diagnosis in unusual circumstances. This case demonstrates the importance of a complete and thorough evaluation during the diagnostic process to ensure adequate treatment and avoid unnecessary complications.
Source reference here.