Orlando (Florida), Aug 26: Indian tennis star Leander Paes, who won the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon with Martina Navratilova last month, said he is relieved that he is not suffering from a brain tumour. Paes, 30, has been hospitalised since last week. Test results released over the weekend found that he has neurocysticercosis, a parasitic infection that causes a brain abscess.

"It's just a matter of time until I overcome this illness," Paes said yesterday at the M D Anderson Cancer Center in Orlando where went for treatment. "There are times in the day when I get dizzy... And feel very lightheaded. I have to have 24-hour monitoring." A brain abscess is a mass of immune cells, pus and other material that can occur when the brain is infected by bacteria or fungus.

Paes is taking albendazole, an anti-parasitic medication, to shrink the abscess, steroids to reduce the swelling and an anti-seizure medication. He could be released from the hospital in anywhere from eight to 20 days and could return to playing professional tennis in three to fourth months.

Bureau Report