A Chinese man suffering from stomach aches was found to have a huge tapeworm residing inside him, measuring 6.2 meters long.

The 38-year-old unidentified man went to a hospital in Shiyan, China, and told medics that he had been suffering from stomach aches for three days. He also complained that he was vomiting, weak and losing weight at an alarming rate.

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In addition to suffering from abdominal and stomach pains, the man also complained of loss of appetite, loss of weight and chronic anaemia over the past two years. Within that period, he claims to have seen different doctors who tried to give him medical treatment.

Doctors from Hubei University of Medicine gave him a physical examination, but found “nothing remarkable.” However, they examined his stools using a microscope and discovered an embryonated egg of a tapeworm in it, according to their medical report published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The doctors then decided to give the man praziquantel, a drug that is used to treat parasitic infections. The man was also given mannitol, which is used as a laxative.

A few hours later, the man excreted a tapeworm that measured a whopping 6.2 meters long.

Upon examination, it was found that the tapeworm that resided inside the man was Taenia saginata, a beef tapeworm. This kind of tapeworm can grow up to 25 meters long, but on the average, most are around 5 meters long.

Apparently, this was caused by the man's diet – he loved to eat raw beef. This kind of parasite, according to Dr. Jian Li of Hubei University of Medicine, infects people who eat raw or inadequately cooked beef. It usually attaches to the small intestine and grows there.

Other than cows, humans are the only definitive hosts for this kind of parasite.

The man went back for a check up three months after excreting the tapeworm and was found to be healthier, having recovered some of his appetite and weight.

Tagstapeworm, tummy ache, beef