Man's brain tapeworm and intense migraines caused by undercooked bacon as researchers warn

A man developed tapeworms in his brain and experienced severe migraines after eating undercooked bacon.

According to the American Journal of Case Reports, the 52-year-old reported to doctors in the US after the migraines became more and more frequent and intense over time. The migraines were also not responding to medication prescribed to him.

He was put through a number of scans, in which it was found that he had a number of tapeworm eggs lodged inside his brain. From this doctors were able to diagnose him with neurocysticercosis. This is a type of infection originating from larval cysts in the pork tapeworm.

Doctors ruled out the man having picked up the infection from travel abroad after it was found that he had not recently visited any "high-risk areas". Doctors were stumped when he denied eating raw meat or street food but were later able to boil down the cause after he told doctors that he had ate lightly cooked bacon for most of his life.

The report in the American Journal of Case Reports said: "It can only be speculated, but given our patient’s predilection for undercooked pork and benign exposure history, we favor that his cysticercosis was transmitted via autoinfection after improper handwashing after he had contracted taeniasis himself from his eating habits."

Experts also warned that the case "may have public health implications", as infected pork is unusual in the US. They added that the risk is increase through the practice of poor handwashing when handling raw meat or by ingesting contaminated food or water.

The patient's condition eventually improved when doctors were able to pinpoint the cause. He was administered anti-parasitic and anti-inflammatory medication which reduced his migraines.