Lowri Denman Avoided Meat in India but Ended Up with 38 Parasites in Her Brain

British traveller Lowri Denman carefully avoided meat during a trip to India in 2007, hoping to protect herself from parasites and food-borne illness. Years later, doctors discovered 38 parasites living in her brain.

The Trip and the First Sign

Denman, then in her mid-twenties, spent two to three months travelling around India. She chose a vegetarian approach for much of the journey. In 2010, three years after returning home, she passed a tapeworm nearly one metre long while using the toilet. She had no earlier symptoms and assumed the problem was resolved after seeing a doctor.

Seizures and a Shocking Diagnosis

In 2011, Denman began suffering severe headaches. She then experienced a grand mal seizure. After hospital tests that included CT and MRI scans, doctors delivered unexpected news: they had found 38 parasites in her brain. The condition was diagnosed as neurocysticercosis, caused by larvae of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium.

Her infectious disease specialist believes she ingested microscopic eggs during the India trip, most likely through contaminated food, water, or poor hygiene rather than by eating undercooked pork itself. The adult tapeworm she later passed was connected to the same infection.

Years of Struggle and Recovery

The parasites triggered ongoing seizures, intense headaches, and episodes of psychosis. Denman lost her driving licence and faced major disruptions to daily life. Treatment involved anti-parasitic medication and careful management of epilepsy symptoms while specialists consulted experts worldwide. The process took years.

Over time the parasites calcified and became inactive. Denman has now gone years without seizures. She has spoken publicly about her experience to raise awareness of neurocysticercosis, a condition that remains rare in the UK but is a leading cause of acquired epilepsy in many parts of the world.

Her case shows how a parasitic infection can stay hidden for years and how even careful travellers can face unexpected health risks. Denman says she feels fortunate to have recovered and wants others to understand the importance of seeking answers when unusual symptoms appear.

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