A MAN who couldn’t pee was horrified to discover the cause – a massive red worm, wriggling out of his bladder.
Medics snapped disturbing photos of the as it emerged through a catheter, still alive, at 30cm long.
It belonged to a species called Dioctophyma renale, better known as the – one of the largest parasites known to infect humans.
Doctors said the man, who was 35 at the time, had a habit of from a nearby lake.
They said that was likely how he became infected – the worm’s larvae can live inside undercooked freshwater fish.
He was admitted to hospital in Meerut, northern India, in June 2015, suffering from and .
Staff also noticed he was .
At first, when suspecting a , they gave him and inserted a catheter to drain his bladder.
On the second day, the man called for help, after he spotted a worm – blood-red and thrashing in his urine bag.
Tests confirmed it was a male giant kidney worm, 3–4mm wide. If it had been female, it could have grown over a metre long.
Doctors continued to check the man's urine for the next three days but found no worms or any traces of any eggs.
The man also revealed to medics he had urinated a few of the same worms in the past.
Before treatment could be completed the man discharged himself against medical advice, leaving doctors unable to follow up on his care.
This case, published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, highlights the rare but serious infection caused by the giant kidney worm, which can lead to irreversible kidney damage.
As the worm grows inside the kidney, it blocks urine flow and impairs function.
This can result in symptoms like blood in the urine and difficulty urinating, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In severe cases, the infection can cause permanent .
Treatment typically requires surgically removing the affected kidney. Prevention is key — the CDC advises thoroughly cooking fish and frogs and avoiding contaminated water to protect against this dangerous parasite.
