According to researchers, it is believed that the infection was contracted by the woman while she was collecting edible shrubs near her home in New South Wales, Australia.

In a remarkable and unprecedented occurrence, a live worm measuring eight centimeters was extracted from the brain of a 64-year-old Australian woman during surgery, as confirmed by medical professionals.

The woman had been under medical care at the Australian National University (ANU) and Canberra Hospital due to enduring various health problems over an extended period.

Medical experts were taken aback to discover a live and wriggling Ophidascaris robertsi roundworm within her brain, considering that this parasite had previously been identified within carpet python snakes and kangaroos. It was also suspected that the worm’s larvae had infiltrated other organs in her body, including her lungs and liver.

“This marks the world’s inaugural recorded case of Ophidascaris in humans,” stated one of the doctors at the hospital, infectious disease specialist Sanjaya Senanayake. “To the best of our knowledge, this also stands as the first instance involving the brain of any mammalian species, whether human or otherwise.”

The patient, a resident of New South Wales, initially sought medical attention at a local hospital in 2021 due to complaints of abdominal pain and diarrhea, among other ailments. By 2022, she displayed signs of memory lapse and depression, leading to a referral to Canberra Hospital. A brain MRI revealed anomalies necessitating surgical intervention. Subsequent DNA testing following the brain scan confirmed the presence of the parasite.

It is believed that the woman contracted the infection while gathering edible shrubs near her home. These shrubs were likely contaminated with parasitic larvae released in snake excrement.

While this case represents the world’s first occurrence of such an infection, Senanayake believes that “it is likely that other cases will come to light in the upcoming years.”

The findings of this unique case were published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 60% of known infectious diseases in humans can be transmitted from animals. Furthermore, three out of four new or emerging infectious diseases in humans originate from animals.

Source:  with agencies