Flukes nest in the brain, causing the man to have seizures

On December 23, a representative of the Central Tropical Diseases Hospital said that the previous patient was completely healthy, with no notable underlying diseases. 8 days before admission, he suddenly had spasticity with numbness in his left hand. After an initial examination at a medical facility, doctors noted lesions suspicious for a brain tumor. Infectious factors could not be ruled out, so the patient was transferred to the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases for in-depth evaluation.

At the time of admission, the patient was alert, had no fever, was hemodynamically stable, and had no obvious focal neurological signs or meningeal syndrome. However, the patient had a severe headache with convulsions and a feeling of numbness in his left hand.

The doctor performed a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and discovered a small cystic lesion in the left frontal lobe, surrounded by mild brain edema. This picture points more towards parasitic damage than a primary brain tumor. The patient was further tested and the results were positive for dog tapeworm. The doctor diagnosed brain damage caused by parasites, administered medical treatment according to the protocol, combined with symptom control and close monitoring of neurological developments. After about 10 days, the patient’s condition improved significantly.

Doctor Nguyen Van Phuong, Deputy Director of the Center for On-Demand and International Medical Examination and Treatment, said brain fluke infection is not a rare disease but is easy to miss because the initial symptoms are often atypical. Patients may only have convulsions, transient numbness or mild headaches, easily confused with a brain tumor or stroke. The route of infection is not necessarily due to direct contact with cats and dogs, but is often related to unhygienic eating and drinking, especially raw vegetables, re-cooked food or contaminated water sources, creating conditions for parasite eggs to enter the body and move to the brain.

Brainworm is a disease that belongs to the group of central nervous system infections, causing memory loss, headaches, and blurred vision. Patients with high fever, headache, and vomiting due to increased intracranial pressure can lead to seizures, peripheral facial paralysis (VII nerve paralysis, hemiplegia), and death if not diagnosed and treated promptly. Many patients mistakenly think they have epilepsy, stroke, or mental illness, so they are treated in psychiatric hospitals for many years. When he arrived at the hospital, his illness was relatively late. The parasites had attacked his body and brain, causing many sequelae.

Doctors advise people not to be subjective with unusual neurological symptoms, even if they are transient. Each person needs to maintain the habit of eating cooked and boiled drinks, washing hands and ensuring food hygiene to effectively prevent dangerous parasitic diseases but can be completely controlled if detected promptly.