Surprised doctors find 10-inch worm in man's groin during elective surgery
Summary
Doctors found a living 10-inch tapeworm inside a 71-year-old man during surgery to fix a painless hernia in his groin. The worm was identified as Spirometra erinaceieuropaei, which causes a rare infection called sparganosis and usually comes from contaminated water or undercooked animal meat.Key Facts
- The man had surgery planned to repair an inguinal hernia, which is a common bulge in the groin area caused by tissue pushing through a weak spot in the abdominal wall.
- The hernia was painless and did not show signs of infection, and the man’s blood tests were normal.
- During the laparoscopic surgery, doctors found a live 26 cm (10 inch) tapeworm located between the bladder and pubic bone.
- The worm was pulled out intact and was still moving when removed.
- Genetic testing identified the worm as Spirometra erinaceieuropaei, a parasite that causes sparganosis.
- These worms normally live in dogs and cats and need water and certain small animals to complete their lifecycle but can accidentally infect humans.
- Humans usually get infected by drinking contaminated water or eating undercooked fish, amphibians, or reptiles.
- The infection is rare in humans and the worms tend to wander through the body, causing symptoms depending on where they settle.
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