Who Is Dr. Hari Priya Bandi, The Doctor Who Removed The Live Worm From The Australian Woman?

In an extraordinary medical event that baffled both professionals and the public, neurosurgeon Dr. Hari Priya Bandi emerged as the unexpected hero when she successfully removed a live 8-centimeter parasitic roundworm from the brain of a 64-year-old Australian woman. The shocking discovery marked the first instance of a living worm found inside a human brain, leaving medical experts worldwide astounded.

Dr. Bandi, renowned for her expertise in neurosurgery, recounted the astonishing incident to CNN. “I’ve only come across worms using my not-so-good gardening skills… I find them terrifying and this is not something I deal with at all,” she confessed, underscoring the unprecedented nature of the discovery.

The revelation triggered an urgent quest to identify the parasite responsible for this bizarre occurrence. Canberra Hospital infectious disease specialist Sanjaya Senanayake described the whirlwind of efforts to unravel the mystery. A colleague swiftly reached out to an animal parasitology expert from a nearby government scientific research agency, leading to a rapid identification of the worm.

The parasite was identified as Ophidascaris robertsi, a roundworm typically found in pythons. This remarkable finding, confirmed through molecular tests, was jointly announced by the Australian National University and the Canberra Hospital. Dr. Senanayake, who is also a professor at the university, emphasized the rarity of the case, noting that it was the first instance involving a mammalian brain, human or otherwise.

The patient’s proximity to an area inhabited by carpet pythons in southeastern New South Wales seemed to hold the key to the mystery. Although she had no direct contact with the reptiles, it is suspected that the roundworm entered her system through foraged Warrigal greens, a native leafy vegetable she had cooked and consumed. The possibility arises that the parasite was transmitted via python feces contaminating the greens, which were later touched by the patient.

The patient’s medical journey began with abdominal pain, diarrhea, coughing, fever, and night sweats. Subsequent symptoms included forgetfulness and depression, eventually leading to an MRI scan that exposed the unusual presence in her brain’s right frontal lobe. Dr. Senanayake explained that this particular worm typically infests pythons, which then shed parasite eggs through feces. These eggs can then infect small mammals and marsupials that consume the contaminated vegetation, thus completing the parasitic cycle.

This incident serves as a potent reminder of the increasing risk of zoonotic diseases—ailments transmitted from animals to humans. Dr. Senanayake cautioned that as human activity encroaches further into animal habitats, the chances of such interactions rise, potentially leading to more novel infections in the future. Although the Ophidascaris infection does not have the potential to cause a widespread pandemic, it reinforces the importance of proper hygiene practices, particularly for those who forage for food.

Dr. Hari Priya Bandi, the skilled neurosurgeon at the center of this extraordinary discovery, has long been an active member of the medical community. Trained in multiple major medical centers across Australia, she has championed surgical education, research, and health advocacy. Her exceptional expertise and leadership have brought her to the forefront of the medical field, exemplified by her pivotal role in unraveling the mystery of the live worm in the Australian woman’s brain.