59-FOOT tapeworm oozes out of a Thai man’s rectum after he went to the doctor about extreme flatulence
- A 67-year-old Thai man had deworming medicine before passing the tapeworm
- Medics found 28 tapeworm eggs in his stool sample on March 19
- Doctors believe the parasite came from raw beef that contained tapeworm eggs
- Medics said the worm was the biggest found in Thailand for over 50 years
Doctors were shocked this week when they found a 59-foot long tapeworm in a Thai man’s rectum.
The 67-year-old patient visited the hospital, in Nong Khai province, Thailand, complaining of stomach pains and flatulence.
He was unaware of any problems and a stool sample was sent to medics at the Parasitic Disease Research Centre, in neighbouring Nakhon Ratchasima province.
There, lab tests showed it contained 28 eggs.
The man was given deworming medicine before the giant parasite oozed out of his rectum the next day on March 20.
Footage shows astonished medics unfurling the mammoth 59-foot-long (18 metre long) parasite and laying it onto a red mat.
Doctors were shocked this week when they found a 59-foot long tapeworm in a Thai man’s rectum after he complained of extreme stomach pains and flatulence
A spokesman for the Parasitic Disease Research Centre said: ‘A Taenia saginata bovine tapeworm more than 18 metres long was obtained from a patient whose sample was sent to the centre.
‘He was given the deworming medication before bedtime and in the morning this long worm came out of his bottom.
‘It was very big and took us a while to lay it all out on the ground.’
Doctors believe the parasite came from raw beef that contained tapeworm eggs.
Medics said the tapeworm was the biggest they had found in Thailand for more than 50 years.
The patient was given medication and was warned to change his eating habits.
The 67-year-old patient was unaware of any problems and a stool sample was sent to medics at the Parasitic Disease Research Centre, in Nakhon Ratchasima province
There, lab tests showed the man’s rectum contained 28 eggs and he was given deworming medicine. The giant parasite oozed out of his rectum the next day on March 20
Doctors believe the parasite came from raw beef that contained tapeworm eggs and advised the patient to avoid un- or undercooked beef in the future
Dr Schawanya Rattanapitoon, who led the team, said: ‘Transmission is caused by eating raw beef. These parasites can live in humans for more than 30 years.
‘However, currently, they do not survive very long because better medication is available. But this tapeworm was very long.
‘According to past information, it is the longest that has been seen in Thailand for 50 years.
‘We have suggested that the patient’s family also have medical tests to find out whether they had parasites as they are also at risk.
‘We warned them not to continue consuming raw meat as that is one of the main causes of having parasites in the body.’
Taenia saginata, usually known as the beef tapeworm, is a type of parasite that can live in the human gut for up to 30 years.
Humans are infected when they eat raw or undercooked beef which contains the infectious larvae.
Medics said the tapeworm was the biggest they had found in Thailand for more than 50 years
Taenia saginata, usually known as the beef tapeworm, is a type of parasite that can live in the human gut for up to 30 years. Humans are infected when they eat raw or undercooked beef which contains the infectious larvae