Lowri Denman, 42, from Cardiff, developed 38 brain parasites after contracting a tapeworm during a two-month trip to India in 2007. Four years later, she passed a metre-long tapeworm while using the toilet, but initially had no symptoms. In 2011, she suffered a grand mal seizure and was diagnosed with neurocysticercosis, a parasitic brain infection caused by larvae of the pork tapeworm. "It was just so disgusting to think that these things were in my head," she said.
Seizures and Diagnosis
Lowri waited three months for a brain scan that revealed the infection. She had stuck to a vegetarian diet during her travels, but according to the World Health Organisation, tapeworms and neurocysticercosis can be contracted through water contaminated with tapeworm eggs or poor hygiene. Neurocysticercosis develops when a tapeworm infection is left untreated, as larvae accumulate in the central nervous system. It is a leading cause of seizures worldwide.
Lowri was treated for epilepsy while doctors consulted tropical disease experts globally to decide on a course of action. She lost her driving licence due to seizure risks and was advised not to bathe alone. She experienced anxiety about leaving home, recalling a seizure while walking in Cardiff: "I was on the phone to my mate, and I said, 'I don’t feel well'. Then I passed my phone to a stranger. Then the next thing, I come around and my mate was like, 'You’ve had a fit again'."
Treatment and Flare-ups
Doctors prescribed steroids and albendazole, an anti-parasitic medication. Her seizures reduced, but in 2015 the parasites caused a serious flare-up as they "weren’t dying off as they’d expected". She was then given praziquantel, another anti-worm drug, but experienced continued brain swelling. "This went on for at least a year, where I was getting more and more ill, more anxious. I had to give up work, had to move home to be taken care of," she said.
Lowri began experiencing severe paranoia and panic attacks. In September 2016, she was admitted to a neuropsychiatric ward for three months and prescribed mood stabilisers and anti-psychotics. "I thought I was going to die... I wasn’t stable at all," she added. It is unclear whether the symptoms were caused directly by the parasites or by the stress of prolonged treatment.
Recovery and New Project
Lowri left hospital in January 2017 and moved back in with her father. She is now healthy and has been seizure-free for 10 years. She is sharing her story to support others and plans to launch a 12-part podcast with producer Nicola Brown, featuring interviews with consultants and tropical disease experts. The project has been shortlisted for 2025’s The Whickers Podcast Pitch Award. The duo are raising £25,000 through Crowdfunder. "I spent my whole thirties being ill and anxious... now I’ve moved into my 40s, I want to do something positive," Lowri said.
