Raw beef lover discharges 6-metre long tapeworm associated with 2yr stomach pain

Trouble: The patient had been suffering pains for two years

A meat-lover who had a two-year stomach pain was horrified when doctors said a 6-metre long tapeworm had grown inside him. Doctors told him it had been caused by his love of raw beef. The patient had been complaining about vomiting, general weakness and a lack of appetite to various doctors over the past two years. Tapeworm Medics kept treating him for stomach ache and chronic anemia. During his latest visit at the Hubei University of Medicine, in Shiyan, China, doctors examining him found ‘nothing remarkable’, according to the New England Journal of Medicine.

However, when they looked at his stool under the microscope they found an egg containing a tapeworm. They gave him catharsis medicine and two hours later, he discharged the six-metre worm. He was diagnosed with beef tapeworm infection - a common occurrence when consuming raw or inadequately cooked beef. Tapeworm infections are most commonly seen in developing countries and are rare in the UK.

Humans can catch them by touching contaminated faeces and then placing their hands near their mouth; swallowing food or water containing traces of contaminated faeces; or eating raw contaminated pork, beef or fish. After discharging the giant worm, the man's stomach ache was cured and he was back to normal.