It was an ordinary day. Just turned the page in my morning newspaper and read the lead headline on page A8. "How Did A Worm Get In RFK Jr.'s Brain? Yeah...right. And then I began to read the story! It was a New York Times story that started with...Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s disclosure that a doctor apparently found a dead worm in his brain has sparked questions about what brain parasites are, the damage they can cause and how, exactly, they get there. Brain parasites encompass far more than worms. There are "legions" of organisms that can affect the brain, said Scott Gardner, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who specializes in parasites. In addition to worms, common brain parasites include single-celled organisms such as Toxoplasma gondii and some amoebas. The damage varies depending on the type of parasite and where it ends up in the brain. "Some of them actively invade the tissues and destroy the tissues," said Dr. Daniel Pastula, chief of neuro-infectious diseases and global neurology at University of Colorado Medicine. Others cause problems because of the inflammatory reaction that they trigger. Humans are typically exposed to tapeworms through raw or undercooked food or through food contaminated with feces. "A lot of these things are transmitted to humans through feces," said Dr. Edith L Graham, a neurologist at Northwestern Medicine. Doctors consulted by the New York Times speculated Kennedy described symptoms of an infection with larvae from the pork tapeworm, Taenia sodium, one of multiple types of tapeworms that can infect the brain. When a person accidentally swallows pork tapeworm eggs, the eggs hatch in the intestines, and the larvae can travel to other organs, including the brain. There, they form cysts, causing a condition known as neurocysticercosis. It can take months, or even years, for people to show signs of infection. Symptoms vary based on how many cysts develop and where they are. (Cysts can form in the eyes, muscles and spinal cord). Generally, though, people with neurocyysticerosis experience headaches and seizures, and they sometimes feel confused, struggle to pay attention and have issues with balance. The condition can be fatal. Another type of parasite that can affect the brain is known as a brain-eating amoeba. "Infections of this kind are extremely rare, but, can lead to a potentially fatal swelling of the brain or spinal cord," said Tajie H. Harris, an associate professor of neuroscience at the University of Virginia. The organisms enter through the nose when people swim in lakes and rivers, and then travel to the brain. People have also been infected through using neti pots or other sinus rinses with untreated or non-sterile water. So, just how did a worm find it's way into RFK Jr.'s brain? Will it ever be determined if it was in his brain...and if it is determined that it was, or still is, in his brain, well....just what can be done about it. I guess that if the worm is dead, does anything need to be done? The story that I read did not state what can be done or if it really needed to be done, since the worm was allegedly DOA. This is a story that I will keep an eye on in hopes I can find what actually happened. If I find the answer...I will let you know! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - ...and this is not a belated April Fools joke!! I actually read this in my local newspaper!
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