Taenia infection

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Taenia infection is an infection with the tapeworm parasite found in beef or pork.

Both species, Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm) and T. solium are worldwide in distribution. Taenia solium is more prevalent in poorer communities where humans live in close contact with pigs and eat undercooked pork, and is very rare in Muslim countries.

With treatment, the taenia infection goes away. Rarely, worms can cause a blockage in the intestine. If pork tapeworm larvae move out of the intestine, they can cause local growths and damage tissues such as the brain, eye, or heart. This condition is called cysticercosis. Infection of the brain can cause seizures and other nervous system problems.

Taenia saginata taeniasis produces only mild abdominal symptoms or may not cause any symptoms. However, some people may have abdominal discomfort. The most striking feature consists of the passage (active and passive) of proglottids. Occasionally, appendicitis or cholangitis can result from migrating proglottids. Taenia solium taeniasis is less frequently symptomatic than Taenia saginata taeniasis. The main symptom is often the passage (passive) of proglottids. The most important feature of Taenia solium taeniasis is the risk of development of cysticercosis. People often realize they are infected when they pass segments of the worm in their stool, especially if the segments are moving.

Treatment is simple and very effective. Praziquantel is the drug of choice (This drug is approved by the FDA, but considered investigational for this purpose).

In the U.S., laws on feeding practices and the inspection of domestic food animals have largely eliminated tapeworms. Avoiding raw meat and cooking meat well enough (to greater than 140 degrees F for 5 minutes) will prevent taenia infection. Freezing meats to -4 degrees F for 24 hours also kills tapeworm eggs. Good hygiene and hand washing after using the toilet will prevent self-infection in a person who is already infected with tapeworms.

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Taeniasis is the infection of humans with the adult tapeworm of Taenia saginata or Taenia solium. Humans are the only definitive hosts for T. saginata and T. solium. Eggs or gravid proglottids are passed with feces

• 1. The eggs can survive for days to months in the environment. Cattle (T. saginata) and pigs (T. solium) become infected by ingesting vegetation contaminated with eggs or gravid proglottids
• 2. In the animal’s intestine, the oncospheres hatch
• 3. Invade the intestinal wall, and migrate to the striated muscles, where they develop into cysticerci. A cysticercus can survive for several years in the animal. Humans become infected by ingesting raw or undercooked infected meat
• 4. In the human intestine, the cysticercus develops over 2 months into an adult tapeworm, which can survive for years. The adult tapeworms attach to the small intestine by their scolex
• 5. And reside in the small intestine
• 6. Length of adult worms is usually 5 m or less for T. saginata (however it may reach up to 25 m) and 2 to 7 m for T. solium. The adults produce proglottids which mature, become gravid, detach from the tapeworm, and migrate to the anus or are passed in the stool (approximately 6 per day). T. saginata adults usually have 1,000 to 2,000 proglottids, while T. solium adults have an average of 1,000 proglottids. The eggs contained in the gravid proglottids are released after the proglottids are passed with the feces. T. saginata may produce up to 100,000 and T. solium may produce 50,000 eggs per proglottid respectively.

Taenia solium can also cause cysticercosis.

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Furqan M M. M.B.B.S[2]

Taeniasis must be differentiated from tapeworm infections like diphyllobothriasis, hymenolepiasis, and schistosomiasis.

Taeniasis must be differentiated from tapeworm infections like diphyllobothriasis, hymenolepiasis, and schistosomiasis.^[1]

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

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Both species, Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm) and T. solium are worldwide in distribution. Taenia solium is more prevalent in poorer communities where humans live in close contact with pigs and eat undercooked pork, and is very rare in Muslim countries.

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

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With treatment, the taenia infection goes away. Rarely, worms can cause a blockage in the intestine. If pork tapeworm larvae move out of the intestine, they can cause local growths and damage tissues such as the brain, eye, or heart. This condition is called cysticercosis. Infection of the brain can cause seizures and other nervous system problems.

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