Man Hospitalized With ‘Pork Worms’ After Years of Eating Bacon Nearly Raw

Doctors were left puzzled when a 52-year-old man arrived at the hospital complaining of unrelenting migraines and intense pain radiating through his back. After a series of scans and tests, the shocking truth came to light—his lifelong breakfast habit had literally been eating away at him.

The patient, whose identity has been withheld for privacy, had always favored bacon. Unlike most who enjoy it crispy, he preferred it soft—nearly raw—believing it tasted better that way. What seemed like a harmless quirk turned into a medical nightmare.

The Mysterious Symptoms

At first, doctors considered common causes for his migraines and pain, but MRI scans revealed strange, cyst-like growths inside his brain. These weren’t ordinary cysts. They were sacs filled with tapeworm larvae.

Further investigation confirmed the culprit: Taenia solium, also known as the pork tapeworm, a parasite that typically infects pigs and can pass to humans through undercooked pork. In this man’s case, the larvae had traveled to his brain, causing a condition called neurocysticercosis.

A Long Road to Recovery

The discovery meant an immediate stay in intensive care. For weeks, doctors battled to rid his body of the worms. He was given powerful anti-parasitic medication to kill the larvae, along with anti-inflammatory drugs to manage the swelling caused by the burrowing parasites.

It was only after the man admitted his preference for “soft” bacon—barely cooked, still pink in the center—that doctors identified the likely source of the infection. His decades-long breakfast routine had quietly exposed him to the parasite.

What Health Experts Say

Food safety guidelines warn that pork products, including bacon, should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145°F (62°C) to kill harmful bacteria and parasites. While bacon is thin and usually easy to cook thoroughly, it can be deceptive: meat that looks “lightly cooked” may still harbor dangerous organisms.

“This case highlights that undercooked pork remains a theoretical risk factor,” the medical report noted. “Though such infections are historically rare in the United States, this incident has possible public health implications.”

A Cautionary Tale

Though rare, this case serves as a reminder that even in countries where food safety standards are high, eating pork undercooked can carry hidden dangers. For one man, his lifelong love of nearly raw bacon became the unlikely pathway for parasites to invade his brain.