What is Tapeworm ?

Tapeworms are a kind of insects that are segmented, with each segment capable of producing eggs. The segments are called proglottids. Eggs are dispersed by individual or groups of proglottids detaching and passing out with the stool. The groups of proglottids from the beef tapeworm are capable of movement and actively crawl out through the anus.

Adults and children will be normally affected with tapeworm infections. Adults and children with tapeworm infection (Taenia Solium, pork tapeworm) become self-infected by ingesting eggs from their tapeworm which were picked up on their hands while wiping or scratching the anus.

In addition, these infected persons expose sodium eggs to other persons, usually through food handling. Ingested eggs will hatch in the intestinal track of the infected person and the larvae migrate through the tissues, where they encyst. If larvae migrate to the brain, they can cause seizures and other neurological problems. This condition is termed as cysticercosis.

Tapeworm infection is obtained by eating raw or undercooked meat of infected animals. Beef generally has Taenia saginata while pigs have Taenia solium. If we eat the raw and undercooked meat of such infected animals, we will get the tapeworm infection. The larvae from the infected meat will develop an adult tapeworm in the human intestine. An adult tapeworm can grow up to 12 feet length. Some aquatic animals also carry tapeworms. Fishes and salmon from fresh water may also carry a tapeworm called Diphyllobothrium latum.

A tapeworm infection present in our intestines can be easily treated with oral medications, and the prospects for elimination are good. When the disease gets migrated to other parts of the body, diagnosis and treatment is critical to help prevent permanent tissue damage. Untreated cases may sometimes result in death and is life-threatening. We can prevent tapeworm infection with good personal hygiene, such as washing our hands before eating. We should also take special care while we are traveling, since tapeworm infections mainly occur due to improper sanitation.

Signs and Symptoms
Most of the people infected with tapeworm does not show any particular symptom. But we may notice tapeworm eggs, larvae or proglottids in our stool.

The common signs and symptoms are:

• Nausea.
• Weakness.
• Loss of appetite.
• Abdominal pain.
• Diarrhea.
• Weight loss.
Serious tapeworm infections may result in damage of organ and tissues, resulting in vitamin deficiencies, fever or seizures.

Causes
In human beings, tapeworm infection is mainly due to the following three tapeworm species:
Pork tapeworm (Taenia solium)
Beef tapeworm (Taenia saginata)
Dwarf tapeworm (Hymenolepis nana).
Another species called Diphyllobothrium4 latum (Fish tapeworm) also infects people in areas where raw freshwater fish is consumed.

The main causes for tapeworm infection are
• Tapeworm infection is usually caused by the ingestion of tapeworm eggs or larvae.
• Tapeworm eggs are generally ingested through food, water or contaminated soil contaminated with human or animal feces.
• Larvae are usually ingested through raw or undercooked pork or beef. For example, improperly-treated sewage that contains tapeworm eggs will be used for fertilizing pastures. This will infect the pigs or cattle that graze in the area. The tapeworm eggs will develop inside the animal's intestines and will get deposited in their tissues. The larvae can be passed to the humans who take the meat of infected animals.
• When the tapeworm egg or larvae enters our system it migrates to the intestines, where it matures into an adult tapeworm that can measure up to 50 feet long and it can survive as long as 20 years. Some tapeworms will attach to the walls of the intestine, and will cause irritation or mild inflammation. Some tapeworms may pass through our stool and exits from our body.
• Even if we are getting treatments for tapeworm infection, there are possibilities of re-infecting us by ingesting tapeworm eggs by the adult worm into our stool. To avoid this, we should take care of our personal hygiene, we should wash our hands after using the toilet.
• Each segment (proglottids) of the tapeworm is capable of producing eggs. Larvae may stay stagnant in the intestines, or they may migrate through our tissues to other parts of the body and cause more serious complications. Severe effects may occur due to tapeworm infection.

Risk Factors
Some of the risk factors are:
Poor hygiene: Irregular washing and bathing increases the accidental transfer of contaminated particles into our mouth

Exposure to livestock: There are many chances of infections when animal and human feces are not disposed properly.
Frequent travel: The main reason for tapeworm infection is poor sanitation. We should take care of our health during traveling.

Eating raw or undercooked meats: When the food is not cooked properly, the contaminations in the food would not have been killed. For example, in an undercooked pork or beef, the tapeworm eggs and larvae will not be killed and it will in turn cause severe tapeworm infections.

Screening and diagnosis
We can self-diagnose tapeworm infection by checking our stool for tapeworm eggs, larvae and parts of the adult tapeworm. It is better to examine the tapeworm eggs, larvae and tapeworm segments to a doctor or submitting them to a laboratory for testing. For severe cases of tapeworm infections, Doctor may suggest radiograph, CT Scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Ultrasound imaging is used to detect the location of larvae in our body and also detects the formation of lesions or cysts due to tapeworm infection.
 

Article Contributed By: Priya Ameet

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