Bacon is one of those foods almost everyone enjoys, whether piled onto a breakfast plate or tucked into a classic sandwich. But for one man who loved it just as much as anyone else, his eating habits landed him in the hospital.
The unnamed patient ended up dealing with severe migraines and intense pain in the back of his head that lasted for weeks, eventually forcing him to seek medical care.
The 52-year-old underwent scans which showed his brain was covered with strange ‘cyst-like lesions’. After further investigation, doctors discovered those cysts were filled with tapeworm larvae.
It’s a shocking and very unpleasant discovery, to say the least.
As expected, his situation was serious enough that he needed to spend several weeks in intensive care while doctors worked to treat him.
He was given strong anti-parasitic drugs as well as anti-inflammatory medication to help reduce the swelling caused by the cysts and worms inside his brain.
He explained that he always preferred his bacon barely cooked, almost raw, since he disliked crispy bacon. Medical staff concluded that this lifelong habit of eating undercooked bacon was likely what allowed the parasite to take hold.
Health officials remind people that bacon should always be cooked to at least 145°F to lower the risk of foodborne illness or parasitic infection.
Case notes from his condition confirmed that eating undercooked pork is indeed a risk factor.
They added: “It is historically very unusual to encounter infected pork in the United States and our case may have public health implications.”
“Just a few minutes on your kitchen counter will let your bacon warm up thoroughly allowing it to cook more evenly in the oven or stove top,” they recommend.
But they also issue an important warning: “Don’t forget about your meat and have it sit at room temperature for over two hours as harmful bacteria could spread through your food if left out for too long.”
Either way, this story makes breakfast sound a little less appetizing than usual.
