A man was admitted to the hospital for a peculiar case that medics were unable to make sense of till the penny dropped on his eating habits and preferences.
Keep reading to know more.
Bacon made from pork is an incredibly popular food item for a lot of people around the world. A patient who has been kept anonymous similarly liked the item, but his penchant for it led him to the hospital.
He had been suffering from excruciating migraine headaches and severe pain across the back for weeks. Multiple tests were conducted on the 52-year-old to determine the cause of the issue. They revealed ‘cyst-like lesions’ in his brain. Further testing revealed that the cysts were actually filled with tapeworm larvae.
The type of tapeworm typically found in pigs is called cysticercosis. Often, pigs are found infected with the Taenia solium tapeworm, and the larvae of it were found on the man’s brain.
The patient had to spend ‘several weeks’ in intensive care after the worms had burrowed into his brain. He was treated with a course of anti-parasite medication as well as anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the swelling and cysts caused by the worms, as well as the worms themselves.
Medical professionals determined the origin of the larvae after the man confessed to his breakfast preferences.
He preferred to eat ‘lightly cooked’ bacon, which was almost raw, since he did not like to eat crispy bacon. Doctors pinned down the cause of his issues due to his ‘lifelong preference for soft bacon’
Health guidelines outline that in order to avoid food poisoning or other transmitted illnesses, bacon should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F/62°C.
Judging the internal temperature of bacon is not as easy due to its thin nature. However, it is also easy to cook bacon properly because of exactly that. The case notes for the patient said, ‘undercooked pork consumption is a theoretical risk factor’.
It also included “It is historically very unusual to encounter infected pork in the United States and our case may have public health implications.”
Cases like this highlight the growing importance of food safety education, preventive healthcare, and proper cooking standards. With increasing interest in foodborne illness prevention, parasite infections, and public health awareness, medical case studies play a critical role in guiding consumer behavior and healthcare policy. Understanding the risks associated with undercooked meat can help reduce medical costs, prevent serious neurological conditions, and support long-term health outcomes through informed dietary choices.
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