For a 64-year-old woman in southeastern New South Wales, Australia, what began as normal digestive complaints escalated into a strange and frightening medical enigma. Weeks of recurring stomach cramps and diarrhea became night sweats and a chronic dry cough. Physicians first suspected infection, as lesions cropped up on her lungs, liver, and spleen. But each test—bacterial, fungal, parasitic, and even autoimmune tests—was negative, further clouding the mystery.

Three weeks later, her condition deteriorated. A severe fever and a worsening cough had her back in the hospital. A key piece of evidence was discovered when physicians observed that certain of the lesions in her lungs seemed to be migrating. At the time, though, no one could have anticipated the astonishing revelation that awaited them.

During the next few months, the woman's symptoms spilled over into her overall health. She started having serious memory problems, heightened forgetfulness, and even depression. Her general practitioner (GP) sensed something was seriously amiss and arranged for an MRI scan of her brain. What the physicians discovered was frightening—a lesion in her frontal lobe that lit up darkly on the scan.

At this stage, experts were considering several options: cancer, an abscess, or another neurological disorder. But the real reason was something nobody had expected. "No one thought it was going to be a worm," said Dr. Sanjaya Senanayake, a Canberra Hospital and Australian National University infectious disease specialist.

In June 2022, the patient's medical team took a biopsy of the lesion. What they removed left them stunned: a live, red, three-inch-long parasitic worm. An Ophidascaris robertsi roundworm, a worm typically encountered in Australian carpet pythons, had infested the woman's brain.

The parasite's normal life cycle includes pythons expelling eggs in their stools, which are swallowed by small mammals like possums or rodents. These intermediate hosts carry the larvae in their bodies before they are consumed by pythons and get deposited in feces to continue the process. Human beings are not normal hosts but are merely accidental ones, and infection is very rare.

How Did the Parasite End Up in Her Body?

Although the precise route of transmission is unknown, physicians believe that the woman unknowingly ingested eggs from the parasite. She resided close to a lake home to carpet pythons and regularly hunted for native warrigal greens—a leafy green vegetable approximating spinach. If the greens contained eggs from the feces of the python, or her hands or kitchen surfaces had eggs, she may have unknowingly ingested them.

The case of the woman, which was published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a CDC journal, was the first reported instance of an Ophidascaris worm infesting a human. Although roundworms infest millions globally, the species had not been detected previously in humans.

Scott Gardner, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln parasitologist, was quick to stress that while the case is worrisome, it is not a public health epidemic in general. "There is no reason for people to panic that they are infected by Ophidascaris through snakes," Gardner said. "Good hygiene can prevent parasitic infections.".

The female's earliest signs—fever, lung infections, and diarrhea—must have been because of the larval migration from her intestines into other parts of her body, such as her liver and lungs. Picking up those minuscule larvae in an early stage proved extremely difficult, however. "Attempting to catch the larvae that far along in development was trying to find a needle in a haystack," stated Canberra Hospital Director of Microbiology Dr. Karina Kennedy.

After the brain worm was detected, the woman was operated upon to have the worm removed. While the operation was a success, she continued to be monitored closely by the doctors, for they suspected there could be still larvae in the other organs. She was treated with antiparasitic medication to eliminate the remaining worms, if any, and avoid future complications.

Are Humans at High Risk of Zoonotic Infections?

This case highlights the increasing alarm over zoonotic diseases—diseases that leap from animals to humans. The CDC reports that about 60% of all infectious diseases and 75% of emerging diseases come from animals. With human activities more and more intruding on wildlife habitats, such infections could become more common.

Though Ophidascaris worms are endemic to Australia, similar roundworm species infest snakes all over the globe. This situation prompts a vital question: Are such infections possible in humans in other parts of the world? Scientists now urge heightened surveillance on parasitic infection and its capacity to cross species.

Although uncommon, this incident is an important reminder of the need for hygiene when preparing food, particularly wild-foraged vegetables. Experts advise the following precautions:

Wash Hands Thoroughly: Wash your hands thoroughly after gardening, working with raw vegetables, or touching soil.

Clean and Cook Foraged Foods Properly: Wash leafy greens, vegetables, and fruits thoroughly before eating. Cooking food at high temperatures can also destroy harmful parasites.

Avoid Consuming Raw or Unwashed Vegetables from Wild Habitats: If foraging in areas where wildlife lives, take special care regarding contamination.

Consult a Specialist for Ongoing Unexplained Symptoms: If gastrointestinal, respiratory, or neurological symptoms continue without a diagnosis, see a specialist.

Six months following her operation, the woman's neurological symptoms had eased, although she was still being monitored by medical personnel. Her experience is a harsh reminder that nature has secrets in abundance and at times the most unlikely suspects may be waiting in places we least expect to find them.

Not forever, but what if you could press pause on Alzheimer’s just long enough to enjoy a few more good years? That is the tantalising promise behind a new drug called lecanemab, hailed as a game-changer in the fight against dementia.

The drug has already been licensed for use in the UK after trials showed it could slow the pace of decline in people with early-stage Alzheimer’s. But new long-term findings are turning cautious hope into something stronger: patients who stayed on lecanemab for four years experienced a noticeable delay in the disease's progression. Some even showed no decline at all.

How It Works

In the initial 18-month trial, the drug delayed Alzheimer’s progression by just under six months. That might not sound like much, but it’s the long game that matters here. Among 478 patients who remained on the drug for four years, the average delay before their disease advanced to the next stage stretched to almost 11 months.

Even more striking: 69 per cent of those with low levels of tau saw no decline at all over the four years. And over half in that same group actually improved their cognitive scores.

A Slow Slide Instead of a Steep Drop

Typically, people with mild Alzheimer’s see their scores on memory and function tests worsen by one or two points each year. But for those taking lecanemab, the total decline across four years was just 1.75 points. That’s a major shift in the rhythm of the disease, changing it from a downhill tumble to a slow shuffle.

Professor Christopher Van Dyck, who led the study at Yale School of Medicine, puts it simply: “You will get worse over time, but it will take longer to get there.” That extra time could mean more independence, more connection with loved ones, and more living.

Why Early Treatment is Key

This makes a strong case for early diagnosis and intervention, which could shift the way we approach Alzheimer’s care. No longer is it just about managing symptoms; it’s about changing the trajectory of the disease.

Not a Cure, But a Clear Step Forward

Lecanemab isn’t a miracle cure. It doesn’t reverse Alzheimer’s, and it’s not suitable for all patients. But experts say it’s a major milestone. Reportedly, this is the first wave of disease-modifying treatments and there’s still plenty to understand.

Other Contenders in the Ring

Lecanemab isn’t the only drug showing promise. A similar treatment called donanemab was tested over a three-year period, though it was only administered for 18 months. Still, the results were encouraging: patients on the drug gained an extra six to 12 months before their disease progressed.

That might not sound earth-shattering, but in a condition where time is everything, even a few more months of clarity and connection can be priceless.

The research is still evolving, but the signs are encouraging. With continued trials, this could be the start of a new chapter in dementia treatment, one where patients and families have more time to prepare, more time to enjoy life, and more hope than ever before.

When 63-year-old John Starns slumped on a train station bench in Sevenoaks, drenched in sweat and struggling to stay upright, most passers-by assumed he was drunk. He looked wobbly, pale, and visibly disoriented. But what looked like an awkward case of public intoxication turned out to be something far more sinister: a brain tumour hiding behind symptoms commonly mistaken for vertigo.

From “It’s Just Vertigo” to “You Have a Brain Tumour”

Three months and one MRI scan later, John finally got the truth. He reportedly had a vestibular schwannoma, a rare, benign brain tumour sitting on the nerve that connects the brain to the inner ear. It was affecting his balance, hearing, and overall coordination, symptoms that, in hindsight, were never typical of garden-variety vertigo.

What is Vestibular Schwannoma?

That is why the symptoms can masquerade as something much less serious.

• Dizziness or vertigo
• Hearing loss in one ear
• Ringing or buzzing sounds (tinnitus)
• Poor sound localisation
• In more advanced cases, numbness on one side of the face

Because these tumours grow at a glacial pace, symptoms tend to hide for months or even years. According to Cancer Research UK, they account for around 8 per cent of all brain tumours, with risk increasing significantly after the age of 65. In rare cases, they are linked to a genetic condition called neurofibromatosis, which often causes tumours on both sides of the brain.

Why Dizziness Deserves a Second Look

For John, it was not just one woozy episode. It was a string of unsettling, spin-the-room moments that left him lying flat on his back, eyes squeezed shut, praying for the world to stop pirouetting. And while vertigo was the first suspect, his brain had other plans, like growing a tumour on his vestibulocochlear nerve.

That is the thing with dizziness: it is vague, common, and often misunderstood. It can signal anything from low blood pressure and ear infections to neurological conditions that need serious medical attention. But because it is so easy to dismiss and hard to describe without wildly gesturing, it often gets brushed under the rug until it insists on being noticed.

If you face dizziness, do not ignore it. Especially if the dizziness is intense, recurrent, or comes with sidekicks like hearing loss, balance issues, or ringing in your ears.

In a controversial move that has rattled the U.S. medical community, federal health officials have severed ties with more than half a dozen major medical organizations from participating in government vaccine advisory workgroups.

The decision, communicated via email on Thursday, disinvites top experts from these groups from contributing to the workgroups that support the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a key body that guides the nation’s vaccination policies.

Organizations affected include the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and several others, many of whom have historically played a critical role in shaping vaccine guidelines.

“This is deeply concerning and distressing,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a renowned vaccine expert from Vanderbilt University who has been involved with ACIP workgroups for decades. “Removing these organizations will likely create conflicting messages about vaccine guidance. Patients might hear one thing from the government and another from their personal doctors.”

Longstanding Collaboration Ends Abruptly

For years, the ACIP has relied on a structured system where experts from various medical and scientific fields evaluate vaccine data and help draft recommendations. These recommendations, once approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), often inform clinical practice and determine insurance coverage.

But according to an email obtained by Bloomberg and confirmed by federal officials on Friday, the medical organizations are now being sidelined on the grounds that they are “special interest groups” and are assumed to carry a “bias” due to the populations they serve.

Dr. Schaffner defended the former system, highlighting how professional organizations offered practical insights on how recommendations could be realistically implemented in clinical settings. Importantly, all members were subject to conflict-of-interest vetting, ensuring objective guidance, he added.

Health Secretary Kennedy’s Sweeping Changes

This latest shake-up follows an earlier, unprecedented move in June when U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. abruptly dismissed the entire ACIP panel, accusing it of being too closely aligned with vaccine manufacturers. Kennedy, a former leader in the anti-vaccine movement, has since appointed several known vaccine skeptics to the new committee.

Among the organizations removed from the workgroup process are the American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Geriatrics Society, American Osteopathic Association, National Medical Association, and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

In a joint statement released Friday, the AMA and several of the disinvited organizations denounced the decision, calling it “irresponsible” and “dangerous to our nation’s health.” The statement warned that excluding their medical expertise “will further undermine public and clinician trust in vaccines.”

The groups urged the administration to reverse the decision, emphasizing the importance of transparency and collaboration in public health decision-making.

Lawsuit and Fallout

Several of the ousted organizations had previously criticized Kennedy’s overhaul of the ACIP. Last month, three of them joined a lawsuit challenging the government’s decision to halt COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for most children and pregnant women, a policy shift that has been widely criticized by public health experts.

Meanwhile, newly appointed ACIP member Retsef Levi, a professor of business management with no formal medical background, defended the administration's direction on social media. Levi wrote that future workgroups would “engage experts from an even broader set of disciplines,” and claimed that membership would be based on “merit & expertise, not organizational affiliations with conflicts of interest.”

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has not yet disclosed which experts will replace the disinvited members or when the new workgroups will begin operating.