Cestodes (Tape Worms)

Question 1

What are the 2 most important Taeniasis pathogens?

Answer 1

Taenia solium = pork tapeworm

Taenia saginata = beef tapeworm

Question 2

What is Taeniasis symptoms? Diagnosis? Prevention and treatment?

Answer 2

• GI: Abdominal discomfort & vomiting
• other organs (cysticerosis): cyst formation in brain, eye, or liver
• Diagnosis: eating undercooked beef/pork; Eggs in stool
• Prevention: adequate cooking of meat; freeze meat below 10 degrees C
• Treatment: Praziquantel

Question 3

What is Fish Tapeworm’s etiologic agent? Life Cycle? Symptoms? Diagnosis? Treatment?

Answer 3

-Etiologic agent: Diphyllobothrium latum
-Life cycle: crustacean consumes eggs, fish eat crustaceans, humans eat undercooked/raw fish
-Symptoms: diarrhea alternating w/ constipation
-Diagnosis: eating raw fish; eggs in stool
Treatment: Praziquantel

Question 4

What is Dwarf Tapeworm’s etiologic agent? Life Cycle? Symptoms? Diagnosis? Treatment?

Answer 4

-Etiologic agent: Hymenolepis nana
-Life Cycle: insects consume eggs, rodents eat insects, contaminate food/water that humans consume
-Symptoms: lighter symptoms = abdominal discomfort
heavier symptoms = enteritis
-Diagnosis: rodent infestation ova in feces
-Treatment: Praziquantel

Question 5

What is Echinococcus granulosus’ (hydatid) Life Cycle? Symptoms? Diagnosis? Prevention? Treatment?

Answer 5

• Life Cycle: Dog = definitive host; sheep/cattle = secondary host. Dog comes into contact with human; Infective stage = egg in feces; Diagnostic stage = cyst in organs
• Symptoms: Productive cough of thick, grey, bloody sputum; distended abdomen, liver, and lung
• Diagnosis: Skin (Casoni) test, X-ray/CT
• Prevention: avoidance or treatment of infected canine
• Treatment: Praziquantel

Question 6

What is different between Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilocularis

Answer 6

Multilocularis: rodents = secondary host; multilocular cysts; resistant to Praziquantel