Posted on 01/12/2007 2:27:10 PM PST by SwinneySwitch
There was a time when Renaldo Ramirez, of Houston, didn't like to cook.
The 50-year-old ate most of his meals at mobile kitchens until he found out food contaminated with tapeworm eggs almost killed him.
"He's scared now. He's scared of any food from outside," Ramirez said through his sister who interpreted for him.
Ramirez is a tile worker who immigrated to the U.S. from El Salvador 20 years ago.
"It was a mild headache, but it wouldn't go away," he said. "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 he passed out and didn't wake up for eight days.
Dr. Aaron Mohanty found a cyst of tapeworm larvae living in Ramirez's brain. If it hadn't been found, the doctor said, Ramirez could have been dead within hours from the disease called cysticercosis. The disease is usually found in rural parts of developing countries with poor hygiene habits. However, Ramirez was the fourth patient Mohanty treated within a few months.
"The cycle starts with a human that's infected with the tapeworm," said Dr. Luis Ostrosky, of the UT Houston Medical Center.
The tapeworm eggs are spread by a human host who doesn't practice good hygiene after using the restroom. An unsuspecting victim then eats the contaminated food, Ostrosky said.
"These eggs hatch in the intestine and go through the gut-wall and into the circulation where they get stuck somewhere," Ostrosky said.
Ramirez's cyst was removed through a small incision. During his recovery Ramirez learned to cook and now prepares his own food.
There have been cases of cysticercosis in South Texas, San Antonio's Metro Health District said, but it is not a major outbreak.
The best way to avoid the disease, doctors say, is to wash your hands, cook meats thoroughly, especially pork, and to wash fruits and vegetables.
This story was worthy of a "Barf" alert.......
You're right. 1000 lashes with a wet noodle for me.
and our nation is being over run with people of third world countries with poor hygine habis handling our food?
Brain worms. Holy crap!
I wonder if a really good Margarita accompanying it would counter act the worms? Ceviche is pretty tasty stuff to give up!
GWB response - "Let them eat larvae"...
Remember. Eat at home! Cook your own food. They are working in many restaurants. All those years of vaccinations and disease control were a waste of time and money now that we have open borders. Hard for all of us to face the changes that we are going to have to make. This is the least reported and most dangerous aspect of US policy on immigration.
"Our Diversity Is Our Strength" confirmed yet again.
Spread from feral pigs or nearby cattle farms (take your pick) into fields where these poor picked on illegals are working. It's a wonder THEY don't sue the owners but I heard they are too busy running for the hills. LOL
"Doctors at a clinic gave him medicine for high blood pressure."
This guy should get a segment on an episode of "Missed Diagnosis"
on Discovery Channel.
But I'd be afraid the producers would have to say "America is to blame
for his problem...because we don't have free health care for every
body within the borders of the USA...legal or illegal."
sw
Good luck telling any christian in the US that any of the OT dietary rules apply to them! Regardless of what medical science is telling us, there is no convincing them that the rules are anything but part of "the old law."
But then I suspect I am preaching to the choir.
Absolutely no need to speak English in Houston. There are entire portions of the city that do no speak English. If there was a need, he probably would have learned a word or two by now.
Now Now... I live in them parts...
I just tell em...
No Trabajo! No Cerveza!...
I wasn't slighting Houston -- I live there for a couple of decades myself, and my youngest still resides there.
I think you're right. They found it in his leg and assumed it was in his brain right?
HOUSE is my #1 show....
Yikes, my memory chip is KAPUUT. I don't know. Sorry.
It ought to make us all feel real good that people who work in food services no longer have to pass a health screening. They just show up and are put to work. Who knows what they may be carrying? They may be told to wash their hands after going to the bathroom, but how many sneeze, cough or rub their eyes, noses & mouths and never wash their hands? Those of us who avoid eating out and may be feeling a bit smug should also take into consideration how fresh produce is handled in the supermarket.
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