Topline
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said that doctors once believed he had a dead parasite in his brain, The New York Times reported Wednesday, a fairly rare condition in the U.S. that can be caused by accidentally ingesting tapeworm eggs—and in some cases, can lead to problems like epilepsy.
The infection, called cysticercosis, occurs when tapeworm eggs are swallowed.
Key Facts
Kennedy reportedly said in a deposition over a decade ago his doctors caught a cyst in his brain, and medical experts told the Times they believe his description matched up with a pork tapeworm larva—though the Times noted those interviewed had not treated Kennedy and were speaking broadly, and the exact cause of his condition isn’t clear.
Pork tapeworms are a species of tapeworm that can infect humans when their eggs or larvae are ingested, whether it be from contaminated food like undercooked pork, contaminated water or touching feces-contaminated surfaces, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
When tapeworm larvae are ingested and develop in the intestines, it’s an often mild condition called taeniasis, but pork tapeworm eggs can travel to other tissues in the body and cause cysts, an infection called cysticercosis, or neurocysticercosis when found in the brain, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
Cysts can develop in the skin, eyes, muscles and parts of the central nervous system, according to the World Health Organization.Symptoms vary depending on the number and location of cysts, according to Cleveland Clinic, but can begin months to years after initial infection, with neurocysticercosis potentially causing severe headaches, blindness, seizures and even death.
Cysticercosis is not usually fatal, as symptoms often develop as the cysts die and the human immune system attacks them, the Cleveland Clinic says.
Cysticercosis cannot be spread directly from person to person, but those with taeniasis infections can spread the eggs and potentially contaminate others if they do not practice good hygiene, according to the CDC.
The infection can be diagnosed with blood tests or imaging methods and is typically treated using a combination of anti-parasitic and anti-inflammatory drugs, though surgery is sometimes required, according to the CDC.
Surprising Fact
Neurocysticercosis is the most common preventable cause behind epilepsy worldwide, according to the WHO. Pork tapeworm—also known as Taenia solium—causes 30% of epilepsy cases in many high-risk communities where the parasite is endemic, according to the WHO, and may be linked to up to 70% of epilepsy cases in such areas.
News Peg
Kennedy revealed the potential infection during a 2012 divorce proceedings deposition, the Times reported Wednesday. He reportedly said his brain fog and memory issues led to some neurologists believing he had a brain tumor, but a New York-Presbyterian Hospital doctor told Kennedy they believed he instead had a dead parasite in his brain. The independent presidential candidate did not know the origins or the type of parasitic infection he was dealing with, but thought he may have contracted the parasite in South Korea, according to the Times. He said the worm ate part of his brain before dying, though medical experts cited by the Times said it doesn’t typically eat the brain and instead lives off nutrients.
Key Background
The CDC says most people in the U.S. who develop neurocysticercosis often come from areas where the disease is more common. Cases of cysticercosis are common in Latin America, Africa and Asia, according to the WHO. The disease is more frequently reported in rural areas of developing countries where pigs come into contact with human feces and roam freely. Pigs can develop the tapeworm eggs by ingesting them through infected human fecal waste or through other environmental factors. However, although rare, the infection can occur in places where pigs do not roam freely.
Big Number
Around 1,000. That’s how many new hospitalizations occur from neurocysticercosis each year in the U.S., according to the CDC. Neurocysticercosis cases are most commonly reported in New York, California, Texas, Oregon, and Illinois, the agency says. Around 2.7 million around the world are estimated to have cysticercosis, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Further Reading
R.F.K. Jr. Says Doctors Found a Dead Worm in His Brain (The New York Times)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 'contracted a parasite' during travels, his team says after NYT report (USA Today)
Dr. Gupta explains what could have led to RFK Jr. having a worm in his brain (CNN)
