Sushi-loving California man discovers 1.6-metre tapeworm living inside him
Doctor says of ‘giant’ parasite patient wrapped round toilet roll: ‘Apparently it was still wriggling when he put it in the bag’
A California man’s daily sushi habit ended in a trip to hospital with a stomach-churning item to show doctors: a 1.6-metre tapeworm that “wiggled” out of his body.
Fresno emergency department doctor Kenny Banh said he was sceptical when the man walked in to his hospital, asking for treatment for a worm.
But when the patient opened a plastic bag, the “giant” parasite was inside, wrapped around a toilet roll.
“Apparently it was still wriggling when he put it in the bag but it had died in transit,” Banh said.
The patient, whose identity has not been revealed, told the doctor that during a bout of bloody diarrhoea he looked down and thought a piece of his intestine was hanging from his behind.
When the man pulled on it and it kept coming out, he realised it was moving and must be a worm.