Martin Nowak
Martin's Snakes
A remarkable description of "medical sleuthing and treatments" leading to a brain biopsy discovering the carpet python derived parasitic worm. Published September 2023.
"Ophidascaris species are nematodes exhibiting an indirect lifecycle; various genera of snakes across the Old and New Worlds are definitive hosts. O. robertsi nematodes are native to Australia, where the definitive hosts are carpet pythons (Morelia spilota)."
"...she underwent an open biopsy. We noted a stringlike structure within the lesion, which we removed; it was a live and motile helminth (80 mm long, 1 mm diameter)."
"The patient received 2 days of ivermectin (200 µg/kg/d) and 4 weeks of albendazole (400 mg 2×/d). She was given a weaning course of dexamethasone (starting 4 mg 2×/d) over 10 weeks, while all other immunosuppression was discontinued. Six months after surgery (3 months after ceasing dexamethasone), the patient’s PBEC remained normal. Neuropsychiatric symptoms had improved but persisted."
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/29/9/23-0351_article
"Ophidascaris species are nematodes exhibiting an indirect lifecycle; various genera of snakes across the Old and New Worlds are definitive hosts. O. robertsi nematodes are native to Australia, where the definitive hosts are carpet pythons (Morelia spilota)."
"...she underwent an open biopsy. We noted a stringlike structure within the lesion, which we removed; it was a live and motile helminth (80 mm long, 1 mm diameter)."
"The patient received 2 days of ivermectin (200 µg/kg/d) and 4 weeks of albendazole (400 mg 2×/d). She was given a weaning course of dexamethasone (starting 4 mg 2×/d) over 10 weeks, while all other immunosuppression was discontinued. Six months after surgery (3 months after ceasing dexamethasone), the patient’s PBEC remained normal. Neuropsychiatric symptoms had improved but persisted."
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/29/9/23-0351_article