Neurosurgeon Jordan Amadio, MD, recently removed a tapeworm from a Texas man's brain in a rare neurosurgical procedure, Local21 News reports.
The patient was experiencing severe headaches for months and recently fainted during a soccer game.
A scan of his brain revealed the tapeworm, which physicians believe the patient contracted from eating undercooked pork more than a decade ago in Mexico.
"In certain regions of the country, like Texas and California, this can be more common,” Dr. Amadio, a neurosurgeon with St. Louis-based Ascension Medical Group, told Local21 News.
"There's something … for every medical professional to be aware of. It is not commonly seen and can actually masquerade as different things."