What is the danger of eating half-raw pork (5 photos)

Emergency room doctor Sam Ghaly posted a CT scan of the patient's muscles riddled with parasites after eating undercooked pork.





The woman was diagnosed with cysticercosis, an infection caused by the larvae of the parasite Taenia solium, also known as the pork tapeworm.

"People become infected with T. solium by ingesting the parasite's cysts, which can be found in undercooked pork," Ghaly explained.



The larvae penetrate the wall of the small intestine, enter the blood vessels and are carried by the bloodstream throughout the body, forming calcified cysts in the muscles or brain. They can be felt as small lumps under the skin and are visible on X-rays.

"In most cases, the host's inflammatory response leads to the destruction of the cysts," the doctor added.

However, a person can face serious consequences if the parasites reach the brain.

"This specific condition is known as neurocysticercosis. It can cause headaches, confusion, seizures, and other serious neurological problems."



The parasite lives in the brain for 5 to 30 years.

You can also get cysticercosis by coming into contact with an infected person who sheds the tapeworm eggs in their stool.

"People who don't wash their hands when going to the toilet are mostly infected, but the eggs can also be spread through water contaminated with feces."



The prognosis for cysticercosis is generally favorable. The infection can be treated with antiparasitic drugs, steroids, antiepileptic drugs (neurocysticercosis), and surgical removal.

"An estimated 50 million people worldwide are infected each year, and about 50,000 die," the doctor writes.

Ghali advised keeping clean, always washing your hands, and never eating raw or undercooked pork.



According to the World Health Organization, pork tapeworm infections are most common in low- and lower-middle-income countries (Asia, South America, and Eastern Europe).

Taenia solium is responsible for 30% of epilepsy cases in many endemic areas where stray pigs live in close proximity to human habitation.