Bacon Lover’s Nightmare: The Unexpected Risk of Undercooked Pork!
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The ‘American Journal of Case Reports’ recently published a case about how one man’s love for soft bacon led to a shocking medical discovery.
A 52-year-old man, with no recent travel or farm exposure, contracted neurocysticercosis – a parasitic infection of the brain. The cause? A lifelong preference for lightly cooked, non-crispy bacon.
Neurocysticercosis is a condition caused by Taenia solium (a pork tapeworm) when cysts embed within the nervous system. Neurocysticercosis is most commonly contracted in developing countries and is very rare in the United States, making this case even more unique.
The man had a history of chronic migraines which suddenly changed over four months, becoming more frequent and severe.
The case serves as a reminder to any food business that handles pork to make sure that parasites are assessed in the raw material risk assessment and/or hazard analysis.
Remember, always cook your bacon thoroughly and maintain good hand hygiene!
