Man develops ‘pork worms’ after years of one specific cooking habit

A 52-year-old man was recently hospitalized with a baffling condition that left doctors scratching their heads—until a closer look at his eating habits revealed the unexpected culprit.

For weeks, the patient had been suffering from intense migraines and persistent back pain. Initial scans revealed cyst-like lesions in his brain, prompting further investigation. What doctors discovered was alarming: the cysts were filled with tapeworm larvae.

The diagnosis? Neurocysticercosis, a rare but serious infection caused by the Taenia solium tapeworm—commonly found in pigs. The larvae had burrowed into his brain, triggering inflammation and neurological symptoms that required several weeks of intensive care and a rigorous treatment plan involving anti-parasitic and anti-inflammatory medications.

The breakthrough came when the patient disclosed his breakfast routine. He had a lifelong preference for “lightly cooked” bacon, often eating it nearly raw to avoid the crisp texture he disliked. This habit, while seemingly harmless, was identified as the likely source of the infection.

Health experts emphasize that pork products, including bacon, should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F (62°C) to kill harmful pathogens. Because bacon is thin, it can be tricky to measure its temperature accurately—but that same thinness also makes it easy to cook thoroughly with proper attention.

While cases like this are rare in the United States, the incident raises public health concerns. As noted in the patient’s case file:

“Undercooked pork consumption is a theoretical risk factor.”
“It is historically very unusual to encounter infected pork in the United States, and our case may have public health implications.”

This story serves as a sobering reminder that food safety matters—even when it comes to something as familiar as bacon.