BBC, researchers announced on Monday that they discovered a live 8cm (3in) worm within the brain of an Australian woman, marking a global first.

The 64-year-old woman had been experiencing symptoms such as stomach pain, cough, night sweats, and subsequently, forgetfulness and depression over the course of several months.

She was admitted to the hospital in late January 2021, and a subsequent scan revealed an "unusual lesion within the right frontal lobe of the brain."

However, the true cause of her condition only became evident during a biopsy performed in June 2022.

Dr. Hari Priya Bandi, the surgeon who conducted the procedure, explained that a "string-like structure" was extracted from the patient's affected frontal lobe during the surgery in Canberra in 2022.

She said, “It was definitely not what we were expecting. Everyone was shocked.”

According to a report from the BBC, her situation is believed to mark the inaugural occurrence of larvae infiltration and growth within the human brain. This revelation comes from research published in the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, which documented the case.

Additionally, the doctor noted that the crimson-hued parasite may have resided within her brain for approximately two months.

Residing in an area near a lake in the southeastern region of New South Wales state, the woman is on a steady path to recovery.

The neurosurgeon responsible for identifying the worm mentioned that she had just started interacting with the peculiar brain region that had appeared unusual on the scans when she sensed something different.

She recounted, "I thought, gosh, that feels funny, you couldn't see anything more abnormal."

“And then I was able to really feel something, and I took my tweezers and I pulled it out and I thought, ‘Gosh! What is that? It’s moving!”

“Everyone was shocked. And the worm that we found was happily moving, quite vigorously, outside the brain,” Dr Bandi said.