Steven Doerr, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Doerr received his undergraduate degree in Spanish from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He graduated with his Medical Degree from the University Of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, Colorado in 1998 and completed his residency training in Emergency Medicine from Denver Health Medical Center in Denver, Colorado in 2002, where he also served as Chief Resident.
Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.
Cysticercosis is a systemic parasitic infestation caused by the pork
tapeworm, Taenia solium. The symptoms of this illness are caused by the
development of characteristic cysts (cysticerci) which most often affect the
central nervous system (neurocysticercosis), skeletal muscle, eyes, and skin.
Many individuals with cysticercosis never experience any symptoms
(asymptomatic).
The tapeworm responsible for causing cysticercosis is endemic to many parts
of the developing world, including Latin America, Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa.
The incidence of cysticercosis has increased in the United States due to
increased immigration from developing countries, and it is estimated that about
1,000 new cases of cysticercosis are diagnosed annually in the United States.
Neurocysticercosis is a leading cause of adult-onset seizures worldwide.
Historically, the disease has been recognized since about 2000 B.C. by the
Egyptians and later described in pigs by Aristotle. The disease was also
recognized by Muslim physicians and is thought to be the reason for Islamic
dietary prohibition of eating pork. In the 1850s, German investigators
described the life cycle of T. solium.
What causes cysticercosis?
Cysticercosis is caused by the dissemination of the larval form of the pork
tapeworm, Taenia solium. When the eggs of Taenia solium are ingested by humans,
the tapeworm eggs hatch and the embryos penetrate the intestinal wall and reach
the bloodstream. The formation of cysts in different body tissues leads to the
development of symptoms, which will vary depending on the location and number of
cysts.
How is cysticercosis transmitted?
Humans are the host for Taenia solium, and they may carry the tapeworm in
their intestine, often without symptoms. The tapeworm eggs are periodically shed
in the feces by the human reservoir, and typically pigs ingest the eggs in
contaminated food or water. The pigs subsequently become infected and develop
cysticerci in their body tissue. When humans eat infected raw or undercooked
pork, the life cycle of the tapeworm is complete and the cycle continues.
Human cysticercosis, however, develops after humans ingest Taenia solium
eggs. The eggs are typically spread via food, water, or surfaces contaminated
with infected feces. Oftentimes, the eggs may be spread from the hands of
infected food handlers who do not clean their hands or from foods
fertilized/irrigated with water containing infected human feces. Though the
source of this fecal-oral transmission often occurs from other infected
individuals, it is also possible for individuals who carry the tapeworm to autoinfect themselves. The life cycle of
T. solium is shown below, and pictures of the cysts in
tissues can be found in the last reference listed below.
Life cycle of T. solium with resulting cysticercosis. Photo courtesy of the CDC
Headaches can be divided into two categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Migraine headaches, tension headaches, and cluster headaches are considered primary headaches. Secondary headaches are caused by disease. Headache symptoms vary with the headache type. Over-the-counter pain relievers provide short-term relief for most headaches.
A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. A stroke is also referred to as a CVA, or cerebrovascular incident. Symptoms of stroke include: sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance, and/or sudden severe headache with no known cause. A TIA, or transient ischemic attack is a short-lived temporary impairment of the brain caused by loss of blood supply. Stroke is a medical emergency.
Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The causes of vomiting differ according to age, and treatment depends upon the cause of nausea and vomiting.
Cysts are saclike structures that can occur throughout the body and usually contain a semisolid, liquid, or gaseous substance. Infections, tumors, genetic conditions, chronic inflammatory conditions, and wear and tear can cause cysts. Though some cysts may be palpable, others may not produce any symptoms. Treatment depends upon the location and cause of the cyst.
Food poisoning is common, but can also be life threatening. The most common form of food poisoning is caused by bacteria and include symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which the person has seizures. There are two kinds of seizures, focal and generalized. There are many causes of epilepsy. Treatment of epilepsy (seizures) depends upon the cause and type of seizures experienced.
Food poisoning is a common infection that affects millions of people in the
United States each year.
Most commonly, patients complain of vomiting, diarrhea, and crampy
abdominal pain.
People should seek medical care if they have an associated fever, blood
in their stool, signs and symptoms of dehydration, or if their symptoms do not
resolve after a couple of days.
Treatment focuses on keeping the patient well hydrated.
Most cases of food poisoning resolve on their own.
Prevention is key and depends upon keeping food preparation areas clean,
good hand washing, and cooking foods thoroughly.
What is food poisoning?
Food poisoning might be described as a food borne disease. Food that contains
a toxin, chemical or infectious agent (like a bacterium, virus, parasite, or
prion) and cause symptoms in the body are considered types of food pois...
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