Groundbreaking Surgery: Doctors Successfully Remove Parasitic Worm from Woman's Brain

Surgeons at Canberra Hospital in Australia removed a 3-inch parasitic worm from a woman's brain during a biopsy procedure. The worm, identified as the larva of an Australian native roundworm called Ophidascaris robertsi, was not previously known to be a human parasite. The patient had been experiencing symptoms such as forgetfulness and depression, and scans revealed changes in her brain. After the worm was removed, the patient's symptoms improved but persisted. Scientists believe she may have consumed the worm's eggs from contaminated vegetation or her hands. The case was published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.