Posted on 11/30/2006 9:25:08 PM PST by dennisw
A potentially fatal disease rarely seen here has popped up in Houston four times in the past two months. It's linked to tapeworms and their eggs.
He ate at mobile kitchens until he found out food contaminated with eggs from a tapeworm almost killed him.
"He's scared now. He's scared of any food from outside," said Marjorie, his daughter & translator.
The tile worker immigrated from El Salvador 20 years ago said early symptoms were subtle.
"It was a mild headache but it wouldn't go away," Marjorie explained. "It was just there and it wouldn't go away with Tylenol."
Doctors at a clinic gave him medicine for high blood pressure.
A few days later Ramirez passed out and didn't wake up for eight days.
"This is a picture of the cyst," said Dr. Aaron Mohanty, a UT Houston Medical School neurosurgeon.
Dr. Mohanty found the cyst with tapeworm larvae in Ramirez's brain.
It's a disease called cysticercosis.
"If they delayed 12 hours, six to 12 hours more he would not have survived," said Dr. Mohanty. "He was deeply unconscious."
This was Mohanty's fourth case in two months of a disease most often seen in developing countries.
"I think it's just a chance factor," said Dr. Mohanty.
In all four patients the UT Houston neurosurgeon removed the cysts through a small incision in the brain.
"The cycle starts with a human that's infected with the tapeworm," said Dr. Luis Ostrosky with the UT Houston Medical School.
Dr. Luis Ostrosky tells us the eggs from a tapeworm are spread by a human host who doesn't practice good hygiene after using the bathroom.
An unsuspecting victim then eats the contaminated food.
"These eggs hatch in the intestine and go through the gutwall and into the circulation and get stuck somewhere," said Dr. Ostrosky.
(Excerpt) Read more at khou.com ...
Another ER physician later removed the hook worm by freezing spray and collecting it on a surgical sponge when it burrowed out to escape the cold.
Got sick from my 1 trip to Mexico also ... spent most of the week in bed.
Never again!
About half the population votes Democrat. So technically, about 50% of all American ARE PARASITES.
"They're GOOD people and hard working.
They only come here to INFECT US with diseases 'we' wiped out decades ago"
~~Dubya .. oops, Karl Rove Mexican Pander mocking OFF~~
Most States make their restaurant inspection reports public. You can require with the local health department to find out where you can obtain the information.
Hey - be politically correct: That's a 'la cucaracha' coach .
Growing up in Florida my husband remembers the summertime ritual of his mom shining a flashlight up his (delicate blush) nether regions to check for pin worms. Oh the joys of childhood.
"Developing Countries" is just about my favorite euphemism. A country is only called Developing if it isn't.
You don't think illegals are bringing third world diseases to this country? You have to be kidding.
Go to any hospital where there are a lot of illegals. Ask the people working there. Lots of tape worms and their eggs traveling to the brain. Neurosurgeons are making a fortune.
A friend of mine had a tape worm at his lab the other day, more than a foot long. He also tells me about the drug resistent TB, the hepatitis, and even leprosy. Do you believe leprosy!! And yes, the patient was an illegal from Mexico. Thank you Jorge.
I work in a financial services headquarters, and I can tell you that a huge percentage of the Indian and Pakistani (professional) women do NOT wash their hands after going to the bathroom. Ick.
>picked up a hook worm/heart worm on my feet<
You picked up a hookworm or a whipworm like this, not a heartworm. Heartworms have a totally different life cycle, and must be transmitted by the bite of a mosquito.
I've heard it said that God invented Kosher so that His people wouldn't suffer from these sorts of diseases.
I’d have regretted his absinthe.
When my house was being built in TX there was a port a potty RIGHT outside, but "they" preferred pooping in the closets and attic. I was HYSTERICAL! The locals thought nothing of it as they were used to "their" disgusting hygiene.
Another reason to "cook at home" My husband and I stopped eating out a few years back when we heard about workers spitting on food to be served. These health problems are walking across the border. Our government at all levels never acts like they have a clue as to why these things are happening. Of course, we do!
Tapeworms of the brain will be the least of our worries!
I suspect we'll see more third world diseases as illegals dominate American food work - from picking and packing to restaurant food preparation.
Most people have a great time in Mexico and no ill after effects. That was a fluke.
< /rimshot>
The Illegal Hideous Diseases would be a cool name for a rock band.
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