Doctor finds countless parasites in patient’s body scan


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A doctor recently shared a shocking X-ray image revealing a patient’s body was hosting numerous parasitic cysts, discovered during an examination for an unrelated hip injury from a fall.

Dr. Sam Ghali posted a video on social media platform X, describing the radiograph as “one of the most insane x-rays I’ve ever seen.” The image displayed countless larval cysts, resembling rice grains, embedded throughout the patient’s leg and abdominal muscle tissue.

“They’re everywhere and they’re innumerable; you can’t even begin to count them all,” Ghali explained in his January 16 post. “So what the hell are they? This is a condition known as cysticercosis. Essentially, these are larval cysts of Taenia solium, also known as ‘the pork tapeworm.'”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that this parasitic infection occurs when people consume inadequately cooked meat, particularly pork or beef. The parasitic eggs penetrate the intestinal wall after ingestion, subsequently developing into cystic formations.

These parasites are remarkably prolific, with a single pork tapeworm capable of releasing 50,000 eggs at once. The cysticercus, or juvenile tapeworms, mature over a two-month period into adult specimens that can persist within a host for years, according to CDC information.

While Ghali noted that the cysts themselves aren’t immediately dangerous, he warned about more severe complications. “The problem is, when these travel to the brain and lodge there, that can cause very serious issues,” he explained. “That is known as neurocysticercosis.”

This neurological condition can trigger various symptoms, including headaches, mental confusion, seizures, and in severe cases, death. Research published in the National Library of Medicine also indicates that the parasites can develop in ocular tissue.

Although Taenia solium infections are relatively rare in the United States, with fewer than 1,000 new cases reported annually according to Healthline, Ghali emphasized preventive measures.

“The moral of the story is, always do your best to keep clean, wash your hands, and never, ever, under any circumstances, eat raw or undercooked pork,” he cautioned. “Please, tell all your friends about this.”