Giving an entirely new meaning to the term “brain worms,” doctors in Australia removed a three-inch-long worm, which was still alive at the time, from a woman’s brain during surgery. This is not going to help Australia’s reputation as a haven for all things creepy crawly.



According to The Guardian, neurosurgeons in Canberra, Australia’s capital, found the parasitic worm in the brain of a 64-year-old female. She had been experiencing abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, night sweats, forgetfulness and depression dating back to 2021, and an MRI revealed abnormalities requiring surgery.


Scientists identified the worm as being Ophidascaris robertsi, a roundworm typically found in pythons; this is the first case of the parasite being found in humans. What doctors suspect happen is that since the woman lives near a lake inhabited by carpet pythons and often collected native grass to use in cooking, a python may have shed the parasite by pooping it into the grass, which the woman then collected (and yes, ate).



An infectious disease expert involved with the case, Dr. Sanjaya Senanayake, explained that the patient needed to be treated for larvae that may have invaded other parts of her body, which was a delicate balance as no patient has ever been treated for this parasite before. “That poor patient, she was so courageous and wonderful,” Senanayake explained. “You don’t want to be the first patient in the world with a roundworm found in pythons, and we really take our hats off to her. She’s been wonderful.”


The woman is now recovering well and being regularly monitored while doctors investigate whether any pre-existing medical conditions could have left her vulnerable to the parasite.



In conclusion, you probably won’t get a parasitic brain worm if you visit Australia, but also, just to be on the safe side, try not to let pythons shit where you eat.