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# Doctors Pull Live Parasite From California Student's Brain

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/eUaPNiVe.m3u8" -->
## Video: Doctors Pull Live Parasite From California Student's Brain

[Watch (HLS stream): Doctors Pull Live Parasite From California Student's Brain](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/eUaPNiVe.m3u8) (0:51)

![Doctors Pull Live Parasite From California Student's Brain](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/eUaPNiVe/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2015-11-06. Doctors removed a live parasitic worm from the brain of a California college student who had complained of intense headaches._


---

Jul 27, 2023 7:05 PM UTC

---

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### Parasite Cast Walks the Oscars Red Carpet

[California Doctor and His Girlfriend Charged with Drugging and Raping Multiple Women](/video/dT8xaAxf/)

### California Doctor and His Girlfriend Charged with Drugging and Raping Multiple Women

---


## Transcript

A California college student underwent emergency brain surgery after doctors discovered a tapeworm in his brain. Luis Ortiz said he'd had some headaches but ignored them until the pain intensified and he began vomiting. He was rushed to the hospital where doctors performed emergency surgery and found a larva of the. The parasite lodged in his brain. The worm created a cyst which stopped the flow of water to areas of the brain. Doctors said if they had waited another 30 minutes, Ortiz would've been dead. The doctor pulled it out and he said it was still wiggling and I'm like, ew. That doesn't sound too good.

What are the odds I'd get a parasite in my head? Doctors said Ortiz might have gotten the tapeworm if he ate uncooked pork, went swimming in a river, or recently visited a developing country. After the surgery, Ortiz has slight memory loss. But he's been working on it through therapy and says he's avoiding pork.

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