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Woman, 30, who complained of burning sensation in her feet shocked to discover she had brain worms

A WOMAN who complained of a burning sensation in her feet after returning home from a trip abroad was revealed to have parasitic worms in her brain.

The 30-year-old woman had just returned from a trip to Thailand, Japan and Hawaii when she began experiencing an unusual set of symptoms.

Woman stretching her legs while sitting on the floor.
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The woman had just returned from a trip to Thailand, Japan and Hawaii[/caption]
Photomicrograph of a segmented worm's digestive system.
Getty
Angiostrongyliasis is a parasitic infection caused by the roundworm Angiostrongylus cantonensis, commonly known as rat lungworm[/caption]

Her first symptom was fatigue, which she put down to jet lag.

But when she began experiencing headaches and a burning sensation in her feet, which travelled up to her legs and “worsened with light touch”, she was admitted to hospital.

The woman, from New England in the US, visited two hospital emergency rooms with symptoms, but doctors didn’t deem her condition serious enough to admit her.

She was then sent home with headache and anxiety medicine.

The woman didn’t return to hospital for more testing until she developed confusion.

Eventually, she was diagnosed with angiostrongyliasis – a parasitic infection caused by the roundworm Angiostrongylus cantonensis, commonly known as rat lungworm.

Most people get mild or no symptoms, but the parasite can infect your brain and cause headaches, neck stiffness, vomiting and brain and nerve issues.

Sometimes the worm can cause eosinophilic meningitis.

The woman’s case was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Dr Carlos A. Portales Castillo, who eventually treated her at Massachusetts General Hospital, was one of the authors of the case study.

According to the journal, Dr Joseph Zunt, a neurologist and infectious specialist looked at what caused the woman’s angiostrongyliasis

The first week of the woman’s travels was spent in Bangkok, Thailand, where she explored the city and enjoyed various street foods, but avoided raw dishes.

She then spent five days in Tokyo, Japan, mostly staying in her hotel and enjoying sushi for many of her meals.

In Hawaii “she swam in the ocean several times and frequently ate both salad and sushi,” said Castillo.

Zunt wrote the rat lungworm parasite is “endemic” in Hawaii and easily acquired.

“Infection can be acquired through multiple sources: ingestion of raw or undercooked infected snails or slugs; ingestion of vegetables or fruits contaminated by infected snails, slugs, or flatworms or by slime from snails or slugs that contains infectious larvae; or ingestion of infected paratenic hosts (e.g., land crabs, freshwater prawns, or frogs) that have consumed an infected snail,” he said.

Person using chopsticks to eat sushi.
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The infection she got can be acquired through multiple sources, including land crabs and freshwater prawns – commonly found in sushi[/caption]

Snails and slugs can pick up the infection from the faeces of infected rats, who may also contract it from eating an infected snail.

Rats also vomit the eggs from their lungs and then eat them – the journal notes it’s a “complicated life cycle”.

The patient was treated with steroid prednisone, an anti-parasite medication that suppresses the immune system, and after six days was discharged from hospital.

Rat lungworm is considered rare in humans in the UK, but it’s worth knowing the symptoms below…

Rat lungworm symptoms

ACCORDING to the Hawaii Department of Health, symptoms can start with non-specific symptoms and evolve to more specific symptoms over the next following weeks.

People may experience the following:

  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • abdominal pain a few hours to a few days after ingestion

Symptoms can then progress to headache and other neurologic symptoms.

Non-specific symptoms include:

More specific symptoms may include:

  • constant headache
  • neck stiffness and pain
  • tingling or burning of the skin
  • double vision
  • bowel or bladder difficulties
  • seizures

Children may experience more fever, irritability, somnolence, lethargy, gastrointestinal symptoms, muscle twitching, convulsions, and extremity weakness.

In addition, individuals may experience a few days to weeks of no symptoms followed by neurologic symptoms.

Although it varies from individual to individual, the symptoms usually last between two to eight weeks, although symptoms have also been reported to last for longer periods of time.

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Lionel Messi called out for BOXING match as Logan Paul fumes ‘this ain’t justice’ in bid to settle ongoing dispute

LOGAN PAUL has offered Lionel Messi the chance to face him in the boxing ring – and settle their long-running dispute.

The Maverick has accused Messi of “copying” him after the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner released his Mas+ energy drink.

Logan Paul and KSI boxing match.
The Mega Agency
Logan Paul has called out Lionel Messi for a boxing bout[/caption]
Logan Paul and KSI at a Prime drink promotional event.
Reuters
The Youtuber-turned-boxer’s Prime energy drink is embroiled in a legal dispute with Messi’s new brand[/caption]
Four bottles of Mas+ by Messi, each a different flavor.
Mas+
The Argentine legend launched Mas+ in June last year[/caption]
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF waving to the crowd.
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The 37-year-old’s company has been accused of “copying” PRIME[/caption]

Paul launched PRIME in 2022 alongside his long-term influencer rival KSI.

The popular drink took the world by storm, with early packs selling for ten times the RRP as the company struggled to cope with demand.

Messi, 37, has since released Mas+, with the two companies going into a legal stand-off over their packaging and trademarks.

YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul, 29, has now suggested an alternative to wrangling in the courts – a showdown in the ring.

Addressing World Cup winner Messi in a recent video, Paul said: “Brother, you copied us. Everyone saw it.

“They saw what you did. Everyone noticed it and then we got sued.

“Hold on, wait, what? This ain’t justice.

“So we countersued, obviously. If you can’t beat the best, you gotta be the best. But that’s illegal.

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“That’s trademark infringement. We’re holding him accountable, and it’s harassment?

“All jokes aside, I will consider dropping this if Logan Paul vs Messi [gets made in] 2025. I’ll see you in the ring, brother.”

Messi’s brand fired the first legal shots by suing PRIME last October.

They accused Logan’s company of “anti-competitive” behaviour, alleging in writing that PRIME had tried to pressure them into changing their packaging.

PRIME countersued a month later, accusing Messi’s brand of copying their trademarked design.

Logan is no stranger to the squared circle and faced off with pound-for-pound legend Floyd Mayweather in 2021.

He was linked to a megafight with MMA star Conor McGregor before the UFC backed away from the contest last year.

Logan has also become a star in the world of WWE, appearing in the ring at Wrestlemania 40.

Messi, who currently plays in the MLS for Inter Miami, has yet to respond to Paul’s offer.

He is preparing for the new season, with Miami’s first competitive match of 2025 against Sporting Kansas City on Tuesday.

Messi is reportedly wary of playing in the game, with record-low temperatures forecasted and the match in doubt.

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My ex dumped me to ‘work on himself’ so I did too – people are stunned by my glow-up & think I had surgery, but I didn’t

A YOUNG woman has revealed that her ex dumped her to ‘work on himself’ so she made sure to get her own back and do the same.

On a mission to improve her looks and confidence, Chloe White, a blonde beauty from the UK, focused on her diet and got serious with exercise.

Woman in pink leggings and a light gray cardigan.
[email protected]/
A content creator has revealed that after her ex-boyfriend dumped her to ‘work on himself’ she decided to do the same[/caption]
Woman in blue athletic wear.
Thanks to diet and exercise, Chloe White has not only transformed her appearance, but her confidence too
[email protected]/

As a result, the star, who has 76,700 followers on social media, was able to drop four and a half stone – and now, people have said she looks like ‘a different person’.

Chloe has shared numerous clips online proudly showing off her jaw-dropping glow up, leaving people totally stunned. 

In one short before and after clip, which has now gone viral, the content creator wrote: “He left me to ‘work on himself’. 

“So I did the same.”

She captioned the video ‘boy bye’ and explained that after she started looking after herself, she was able to lose weight and totally transform her appearance. 

Chloe acknowledged that after losing her “face fat” and slimming down, she is now “a whole new person”. 

And whilst many were left convinced that Chloe had had surgery to slim down, Chloe swore that her transformation was simply down to moving more and making smarter food decisions.

Whilst one woman accused her of having a gastric sleeve, Chloe claimed that she was able to glow-up by volume eating, which involves eating large portions of low-calorie, high-volume foods, as well as high protein meals.

As well as this, she also credited weight training to her impressive weight loss and highlighted that she took inspiration and motivation by taking progress pictures, rather than through weighing herself.

And whilst Chloe loves working up a sweat in the gym, she also advised that for those looking to keep on top of losing weight, changing up the scenery and getting outside often helps – whether that’s going for runs or bike rides. 

Chloe’s TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @chloe.w.hite, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly gone viral and racked up a whopping 5.8 million views. 

Social media users were gobsmacked by her new look and many eagerly flocked to the comments to express this. 

How to lose weight without surgery

There are various other ways to lose weight without going under the knife.

According to the NHS, to get the best possible start on its weight loss plan, there are the seven steps you should follow.

  1. Get active for 150 minutes a week – you can break this up into shorter sessions
  2. Aim to get your 5 A Day – 80g of fresh, canned or frozen fruit or vegetables count as 1 portion
  3. Aim to lose 1 to 2lbs, or 0.5 to 1kg, a week
  4. Read food labels – products with more green colour coding than amber and red are often a healthier option
  5. Swap sugary drinks for water – if you do not like the taste, add slices of lemon or lime for flavour
  6. Cut down on food that’s high in sugar and fat – start by swapping sugary cereal for wholegrain alternatives
  7. Share your weight loss plan with someone you trust – they can help motivate you when you have a bad day

One person said: “You understood the assignment.” 

Another added: “What a difference! You were still stunning before but now you are glowing with confidence! Way to go girl!!” 

You looked lovely before but you look uber glam now! Congratulations

TikTok user

A third commented: “You look like a different person!”

Whilst someone else wrote: “Oh wow, well done girl! Smashed it. Beautiful, I can tell you are loving yourself now.”

Not only this, but another beamed: “I love this. You looked lovely before but you look uber glam now! Congratulations.”

Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club

The NHS 12-step plan to help you lose weight

FROM faddy diets to dodgy detoxes - most of us have heard it all before when it comes to weight loss.

But burning fat can be easy and mostly free.

In fact, the NHS has a whole load of medically-approved tips for weight loss and shedding body fat once and for all…

  1. Don’t skip breakfast
    Skipping breakfast will not help you lose weight. You could miss out on essential nutrients and you may end up snacking more throughout the day because you feel hungry.
  2. Eat regular meals
    Eating at regular times during the day helps burn calories at a faster rate. It also reduces the temptation to snack on foods high in fat and sugar.
  3. Eat plenty of fruit and veg
    Fruit and veg are low in calories and fat, and high in fibre – 3 essential ingredients for successful weight loss. They also contain plenty of vitamins and minerals.
  4. Get more active
    Being active is key to losing weight and keeping it off. As well as providing lots of health benefits, exercise can help burn off the excess calories you cannot lose through diet alone.
  5. Drink lots of water
    People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. You can end up consuming extra calories when a glass of water is really what you need.
  6. Eat high fibre foods
    Foods containing lots of fibre can help keep you feeling full, which is perfect for losing weight. Fibre is only found in food from plants, such as fruit and veg, oats, wholegrain bread, brown rice and pasta, and beans, peas and lentils.
  7. Read food labels
    Knowing how to read food labels can help you choose healthier options. Use the calorie information to work out how a particular food fits into your daily calorie allowance on the weight loss plan.
  8. Use a smaller plate
    Using smaller plates can help you eat smaller portions. By using smaller plates and bowls, you may be able to gradually get used to eating smaller portions without going hungry. It takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain it’s full, so eat slowly and stop eating before you feel full.
  9. Don’t ban foods
    Do not ban any foods from your weight loss plan, especially the ones you like. Banning foods will only make you crave them more. There’s no reason you cannot enjoy the occasional treat as long as you stay within your daily calorie allowance.
  10. Don’t stock junk food
    To avoid temptation, do not stock junk food – such as chocolate, biscuits, crisps and sweet fizzy drinks – at home. Instead, opt for healthy snacks, such as fruit, unsalted rice cakes, oat cakes, unsalted or unsweetened popcorn, and fruit juice.
  11. Cut down on alcohol
    A standard glass of wine can contain as many calories as a piece of chocolate. Over time, drinking too much can easily contribute to weight gain.
  12. Plan your meals
    Try to plan your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for the week, making sure you stick to your calorie allowance. You may find it helpful to make a weekly shopping list.

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Hit show hailed as ‘one of the best in the last decade’ with 100% Rotten Tomatoes score finally returns for 2nd series

A HIT show hailed as one of the best in the last decade with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 100% finally returns for its second series.

The acclaimed adult animated series first aired on AMC+ in 2022 and new episodes are becoming available on Netflix on 21 February.

Illustration of two characters from Pantheon season 1.
IMDB
A hit show hailed as one of the best in the last decade with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 100% finally returns for its second series[/caption]
Illustration of a woman and a girl looking at a computer.
IMDB
The first series has a 100% perfect score on entertainment ratings site Rotten Tomatoes[/caption]
Illustration of a young man using a computer, watched by a woman.  Pantheon season 1.
IMBD
Fans have praised the show as the perfect blend of animation and sci-fi[/caption]

Pantheon, a sci-fi animated series, has landed on Netflix and the second season is landing in just a few days.

The first series has a 100% perfect score on entertainment ratings site Rotten Tomatoes, which is unique in itself.

In the show, bullied teen Maddie begins receiving messages from a mysterious stranger that claims to be her recently deceased father, David.

His consciousness has been uploaded to the cloud after an experimental brain scan, and it turns out he’s not the only one.

Meanwhile, Caspian Keyes, a troubled yet highly intelligent teenager has been raised unaware that he lives in a constructed environment and is constantly monitored to one day fulfil a special purpose.

When the pair meet they decide to aid each other in searching for the truth.

However, Vinod Chanda, an engineer from the India-based Alliance Telecom company is kidnapped by his corrupt boss and scanned.

With help from previous victims, Chanda escapes his virtual prison and goes rogue.

With Maddie and Caspian stuck in the middle, a global conspiracy unfolds that threatens to trigger a new kind of world war.

The show stars Katie Chang, Paul Dano, Aaron Eckhart and Lost’s Daniel Dae Kim.

And viewers have loved the show with one stating: “Watching “Pantheon” is like reading “Neuromancer” for the first time.

“I found myself totally engrossed in the world and story, and eager to find out what happens to both the main and supporting characters.”

Another added: “Wow, this is arguably the best sci-fi of 2020s. With the potential to go down in history and be something truly special.

“With clunky yet still clean visuals, great music, and top notch writing.”

A third agreed: “This series is absolutely thrilling in every episode. For those who think that live action is always better than anime/cartoon, think again.

“I don’t think that this series could be done good enough on live action, especially some of the UI thing.”

“This show is smart, emotional and entertaining. There are a few interconnected side stories going on that make me excited to figure out the big picture.

“I noticed there are so many details and small moments that reflect our real modern life.

“Genuine uses of technology in daily life but things that I have never seen shown before in film or television.”

“I found myself being hooked in just minutes into the show and I can’t remember the last time that happened and I can’t seem to get enough after just two episodes.

“The plot, the style, the writing, the characters, the overall atmosphere, the twists and the intrigue is just top-notch.

“Finally a show with proper writing with proper dialogue, no politics or forced social policies for the sake of pleasing mainstream media, investment sources and rating agencies, just brilliant storytelling” added another.

The second season will be available on Netflix on 21 February.

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Chilling warning Putin could deploy obscure ‘Narva Scenario’ to launch surprise attack on Nato…despite Trump peace talks

EVIL Vladimir Putin could deploy the obscure “Narva Scenario” to launch a surprise attack on Nato despite peace talks with President Donald Trump, an expert has warned.

Former Finnish general and MEP Pekka Toveri believes Trump and the West should be wary of trusting the mad dictator – warning that he could take advantage and try to break Nato’s Article 5.

Presidents Putin and Trump in a meeting.
AP
President Donald Trump meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2017[/caption]
Narva Castle reflected in the Narva River.
Alamy
Narva castle at the bank of Narova River in Narva, Estonia[/caption] Illustration of Russia's "Narva Scenario" plan, showing a map of Estonia and Russia, with photos of a missile launch and Donald Trump.

Putin has agreed the “war must end” after Donald Trump went past Ukraine and European leaders to do business directly with the Kremlin.

But the former general and MEP for Finland has warned against the West trusting Putin in peace deals and giving him land as it would only make his “appetite bigger” – encouraging the tyrant to make a future invasion.

Toveri told The Sun that Putin would just need to wait for a couple of years and be prepared to sacrifice another 100,000 Russians before attacking again as, in Putin’s mind, the “spineless West will give up”.

And even if Europe built up its armies, Putin wouldn’t need to challenge them directly. 

Instead, he could carry out the feared Narva Scenario and try and break Article 5 of Nato. 

Russia would invade Estonia and seize the city of Narva in a small operation and then threaten to nuke anyone who tried to get it back. 

Narva – which sits on the border between Russia and Estonia – was first occupied by Russia between 1558 and 1581, and then again in 1704.

It borders a river between the two countries – not far from Narva Bay – and over 97 per cent of the almost 60,000 residents there speak Russian.

On the edge of Nato’s eastern flank by the Baltic Sea, Narva is Estonia’s third biggest city.

There is a red line painted on the point where Narva crosses into Russia – on a bridge over the river.

Russian servicemen in a military vehicle.
AP
Russian servicemen operate at an undisclosed location[/caption]
Ukrainian servicemen firing a BM-21 Grad rocket system.
Reuters
Servicemen of the 24th Mechanized brigade, named after King Danylo, of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fire a BM-21 Grad multiple-launch rocket system toward Russian troops[/caption] Illustration of a proposed Ukraine peace plan map, showing territorial divisions and troop deployments.

Estonian border cops have previously told the BBC that thousands of Ukrainians have escaped war zones and fled into Estonia through this border crossing.

Toveri said it would take longer than six months, which is what the Danish spooks suggested, for Russia to invade Europe – but that it would definitely happen before the end of Trump’s administration. 

He believes that Europeans would come to the defence of Estonia – but he questions whether America would as Putin would take advantage of Trump’s trust.

Toveri added: “That’s what the Estonians and other politics states are worried about – that Article 5 is questioned.

“And.the thing is, it’s easy for Putin to do that.”

In order to be victorious, Europe must pick up the production of weaponry and keep up sanctions so Russia will struggle to produce high-tech equipment. 

But Toveri warned that trying to encourage peace with Putin would make him more likely to commit acts of sabotage in Europe.

He added: “Russians might be evil, but they are not stupid.

Putin's sights on three Nato countries

ESTONIA, Lithuania and Latvia have all strongly condemned Putin’s horrific war in Ukraine.

These major Russian-speaking cities in each country are of historical importance when thinking about the Russian empire Putin follows on from.

Geographically they also all provide important elements, like coastal locations, sea ports, industrial centres or key borders.

NARVA – ESTONIA

Narva – which sits on the border between Russia and Estonia – was first occupied by Russia between 1558 and 1581, and then again in 1704.

97 per cent of the almost 60,000 residents there speak Russian.

It borders a river between the two countries – not far from Narva Bay.

On the edge of Nato’s eastern flank by the Baltic Sea, Narva is Estonia’s third biggest city.

There is a red line painted on the point where Narva crosses into Russia – on a bridge over the river.

Estonian border police told the BBC that thousands of Ukrainians have escaped war zones and fled into Estonia through this border crossing.

Narva has welcomed Ukrainian refugees during Putin’s war, the BBC reports.

KLAIPEDA – LITHUANIA

Lithunia downgraded its diplomatic relations with Russia after Putin invaded Ukraine.

It closed its Russian consulate in Klaipeda, which is bordered by Latvia, Belarus and Poland on the Baltic Sea coast.

The third largest city in Lithuania, Klaipeda is a major seaport.

It has the highest number of native Russian speakers among Lithuanian cities.

Under the USSR, Russia turned Klaipeda into a valuable marine base.

DAUGAVPILS – LATVIA

This Latvian city, in the south, is bordered closely by Belarus and Lithuania.

It is the second largest city in the country and well populated.

It is also only 75 miles from the Latvian border with Russia.

Daugavpils is historically a major railway and industrial point – and was part of the Russian Empire in the late 1700s.

It has an overwhelmingly Russian speaking population.

Latvia has strongly condemned Putin’s war in Ukraine, and has been added to a list of all EU countries dubbed “unfriendly” by Putin.

“What they have learned from Ukraine? So far they have learned that well, their own army sucks.

“But another thing they have learned is that hybrid warfare works.

“They’ve been attacking us over a decade. They’ve been attacking us in cyber with the information operations now support us and what we are doing?

“They can break the unity of Western organizations like EU and NATO, and they can can break the unity within the nations and force us to use a lot of effort to to secure our infrastructure, like undersea cables, and so on.”

If Russia signs a peace with America and Ukraine rejects it – then Europe could step in and continue to support Ukraine defending against Russia.

It comes as Sir Keir Starmer has said he is willing to deploy British troops on the ground in Ukraine to enforce a peace deal.

Toveri said: “It would be in our interest to say that step in and say ‘Okay, don’t worry. We will replace the American support. We have money, we have resources. We will replace the American support so that Ukraine can keep on fighting until Russia is ready for more reasonable peace.

“You have to remember that Russia is nowhere near to winning in this war.”

Ukraine could continue fighting Russia on the defensive and killing as many Russians as possible with the support of Europe, as Zelensky’s people “are ready to accept the peace”.

Toveri explained how despite Ukrainian citizens being prepared to accept temporarily losing some areas, “they are not willing to take a peace where they don’t get real security guarantees.”

He added: “They can continue it long time with low intensity but it’s hurting them and the economy bad – so we should just not to give up now on the ceasefire/demilitarised zone.

“You would need 150-to-200,000 troops there and then you have to rotate them. You need three times more.

“We, the West, have to support Ukrainian so that they can rearm the army – so it is strong enough with modern Western technology so that they can be the main deterrence, and then, of course, some kind of presence from the Western countries.”

Rescuer at residential building damaged by missile strike.
Reuters
A rescuer works at a site of a residential building heavily damaged by a Russian missile strike[/caption]
Damaged cars and a building after a missile strike in Odesa, Ukraine.
Reuters
A view shows cars and a building heavily damaged during a Russian missile strike[/caption]

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