Cysticercosis causes
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1];Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ahmed Younes M.B.B.CH [2]
Overview
Cysticesrosis is caused by infestation of the larvae of Taenia solium to various tissues (Brain, Muscles, eye ,etc).
Causes
- Cysticercosis is caused by the larval form of Taenia solium (pork tapeworm). Taenia solium is a member of Phylum Platyhelminthes, class Cestoda, Order Cyclophyllidea and family Taeniidae. The common larval stage of Taenia solium was also known as Cysticercus cellulosae.
- T. solium worms may reach a length of several meters.
- The scolex has four suckers, and a double crown of prominent hooks, which attach to the intestinal mucosa.T. solium eggs are spherical and 30 to 40 µm in diameter.[1]
- The cysticercus larva completes development in about 2 months. It is semi-transparent, opalescent white, and elongate oval in shape and may reach a length of 0.6 to 1.8 cm.
-
![Micrograph reveals the morphology of a Taenia solium tapeworm scolex with its four suckers, and two rows of hooks. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2]](https://www.wikidoc.org/images/e/e4/Taenia_solium08.jpeg)
Micrograph reveals the morphology of a Taenia solium tapeworm scolex with its four suckers, and two rows of hooks. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2] -
![Iimage depicts two Taenia solium cysticerci, which represent the larval, or intermediate, immature developmental stages of this pork tapeworm. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2]](https://www.wikidoc.org/images/7/7c/Taenia_solium06.jpeg)
Iimage depicts two Taenia solium cysticerci, which represent the larval, or intermediate, immature developmental stages of this pork tapeworm. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2] -
![Photomicrograph depicted the “scolex”, or head region of the cestode, Taenia saginata tapeworm. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2]](https://www.wikidoc.org/images/b/bb/Taenia_solium05.jpeg)
Photomicrograph depicted the “scolex”, or head region of the cestode, Taenia saginata tapeworm. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2] -
![Photomicrograph of a brain tissue specimen revealed the presence of cysticerci in a case of cysticercosis, an infection due to the ingestion of eggs of a pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. Infestation of the brain tissue by larval tapeworms is known as neurocysticercosis (100X mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2]](https://www.wikidoc.org/images/c/c5/Taenia_solium03.jpeg)
Photomicrograph of a brain tissue specimen revealed the presence of cysticerci in a case of cysticercosis, an infection due to the ingestion of eggs of a pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. Infestation of the brain tissue by larval tapeworms is known as neurocysticercosis (100X mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2] -
![Photomicrograph depicts some of the ultrastructural details exhibited by a Taenia sp. ovum, i.e., egg (400X mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2]](https://www.wikidoc.org/images/1/10/Cysticercosis10.jpeg)
Photomicrograph depicts some of the ultrastructural details exhibited by a Taenia sp. ovum, i.e., egg (400X mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2] -
![Photomicrograph depicts some of the ultrastructural morphology exhibited by three Taenia solium proglottids (8X mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2]](https://www.wikidoc.org/images/3/3c/Cysticercosis09.jpeg)
Photomicrograph depicts some of the ultrastructural morphology exhibited by three Taenia solium proglottids (8X mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2]
![Micrograph reveals the morphology of a Taenia solium tapeworm scolex with its four suckers, and two rows of hooks. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2]](https://www.wikidoc.org/index.php/File%3ATaenia_solium08.jpeg)
![Iimage depicts two Taenia solium cysticerci, which represent the larval, or intermediate, immature developmental stages of this pork tapeworm. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2]](https://www.wikidoc.org/index.php/File%3ATaenia_solium06.jpeg)
![Photomicrograph depicted the “scolex”, or head region of the cestode, Taenia saginata tapeworm. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2]](https://www.wikidoc.org/index.php/File%3ATaenia_solium05.jpeg)
![Photomicrograph of a brain tissue specimen revealed the presence of cysticerci in a case of cysticercosis, an infection due to the ingestion of eggs of a pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. Infestation of the brain tissue by larval tapeworms is known as neurocysticercosis (100X mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2]](https://www.wikidoc.org/index.php/File%3ATaenia_solium03.jpeg)
![Photomicrograph depicts some of the ultrastructural details exhibited by a Taenia sp. ovum, i.e., egg (400X mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2]](https://www.wikidoc.org/index.php/File%3ACysticercosis10.jpeg)
![Photomicrograph depicts some of the ultrastructural morphology exhibited by three Taenia solium proglottids (8X mag). From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [2]](https://www.wikidoc.org/index.php/File%3ACysticercosis09.jpeg)
References
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