‘Wriggling’ Parasitic Worm Pulled from Woman’s Brain During Surgery
https://www.vice.com/en/article/qjvz5q/brain-worm-parasite-australia
A parasitic worm was discovered in the frontal lobe of a 64 year old woman. The worm was 8 cm long. Although neurosurgeons commonly find infections during surgery, this instance is the first of its kind.
Eggs from this worm are typically found in the feces of carpet pythons. This woman lives near grasslands where carpet pythons are common.
The woman had reported “unusual symptoms”: stomach pain, forgetfulness and depression. These symptoms lead to an MRI and eventually an operation. The surgeon estimated that the worm could have been in her brain for at least two months.
I think this story is newsworthy because it is bizarre. The doctor even said that it is a “once in a career” event.
I think the story was well written and included good research. The story was easy to understand and left me without questions. There were multiple quotes from more than one person which helped the story come together nicely.