The centipedes are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine, usually in dried or powder form. However, in some cases, they can contain a parasite that can penetrate the brain and spinal cord, causing meningitis, paralysis and death. One case is reported in a study recently published by a medical journal.
Guangzhou (AsiaNews/Agencies) – A parasite that can affect the brain and cause meningitis has been found in a Chinese mother and her son after they ate raw centipedes.
The case, which dates back to 2012, is the first of its kind according to the research recently published by the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Centipedes are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, in dried or powder form.
The patients, a 78-year-old woman and her 46-year-old son, came from a rural area in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong.
In late 2012, after hearing a rumour about the health benefits of consuming raw centipedes, they ate some.
A few days later, they visited the Zhujiang Hospital complaining of headaches, drowsiness and cognitive impairment, but doctors found their key health indicators to be normal.
When the doctors tested the patients’ cerebrospinal fluid in their brains, they found a rise in eosinophils, a variety of white blood cell that are an antibody to the Angiostrongylus cantonensis parasite.
The patients were treated with a medication widely used in parasitic worm infestations and recovered after three weeks.
A team of researchers studied centipedes sold in some markets in Guangdong and found the parasite's DNA in some.
According to the researchers, mild infections with the parasite may clear up on their own. But in some cases, the worm can penetrate the brain and spinal cord, leading to meningitis and in rare instances, to paralysis and death.
The Angiostrongylus cantonensis can also be found in snails and other molluscs, as well as rats’ lungs.