How Pork Tapeworms Infect Humans
The pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, has a complex life cycle that explains how infections like this can develop. In pigs, the parasite typically lodges in the intestines and muscles. The worms lay eggs that are shed in the animal’s feces, which can then contaminate the surrounding environment, including soil, water, or even surfaces touched by humans. When people eat undercooked pork that contains the larvae, they can develop an intestinal infection known as taeniasis. The worm grows and attaches to the intestinal wall, often going unnoticed until symptoms such as abdominal discomfort or changes in digestion appear.
The more dangerous form of infection occurs when a person ingests the eggs of T. solium rather than the larvae. These eggs can travel through the bloodstream and lodge in tissues such as muscle, skin, or, as in this man’s case, the brain. Once inside, they form cysts and provoke an inflammatory resp
