Dr. Lionel Piroth and Dr. Marine Jacquier from the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire in Dijon reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, “A 35-year-old French woman presented to the emergency department with weakness, a feeling of electric shocks in both legs, and repeated falls; She reported that the symptoms had been progressing, and she noted that she had had difficulty riding her horse for the preceding three months.”

The shock came when x-rays revealed a tapeworm in her spine. The tapeworm, known as echinococcus granulosus or hydatid worm, is a tapeworm most commonly found in dogs. This parasite caused swelling in the spine that led to her immobile condition and difficulty in riding horses.

A detailed surgery was done to remove the parasite, followed by the administration of anti-parasitic drugs after which she fully recovered.

Dr. Lionel Piroth stated, "We cannot be sure about how our patient was infected. This disease is very rare in France."

This tapeworm is prevalent among sheep, cattle and cats and dogs. It can be transmitted via raw vegetables and animal droppings. Since the French woman had a pet cat and cattle, it increased the chances of getting affected. This tapeworm could reside in any part of the body causing inflammation.