Huge 9ft tapeworm removed from a man in Singapore who showed no symptoms

Doctors have removed a huge 9ft tapeworm from a man in Singapore.

The massive worm had to be folded 18 times so medical staff could take a picture of it.

Even though he had a 2.8m (9ft 2in) tapeworm inside him, the man showed no symptoms of the parasite.

It was removed via his rectum at Singapore General Hospital.

“The patient was somewhat appalled when the worm was passed out via the rectum,” said infectious diseases expert Hsu Li Yang.

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The hospital publicised the 2016 case to warn people how they can be infected with parasites after eating raw or undercooked seafood.

Professor Hsu said no other human parasite could grow so long.

“The question is what tapeworm, which will also help answer how the patient had acquired the worm,” he added.

Tapeworms are usually found in humans after they have eaten undercooked pork, beef or fish.

Microbiology experts examined an egg obtained from the tapeworm and say it most closely resembled those of fish tapeworms.

Prof Hsu said cases of fish tapeworms are on the rise in Singapore, where sushi is becoming more popular.

He said those who are infected may not show any symptoms.

However, others will suffer from nausea, weakness, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.

According to the NHS, a tapeworm infection is caused by the eggs or small newly hatched worms getting in your mouth.

It says: “There are several ways this can happen, including eating raw or undercooked beef, pork, or freshwater fish (like salmon or trout) – these can contain live tapeworm larvae if they’re not cooked thoroughly.”

Tapeworms are also caused by drinking water or eating food that contains or has been in contact with bits of faeces of an infected person or animal.

(Main picture: Asia Wire)