CESTODES

General Characteristics
Also called tapeworm
Elongated body - divided into
proglottids, grouped into: immature,
mature, and gravid from the neck
downward
The proglottids form a strobila
The length of an adult varies widely
from several mm to over 10m, but
rarely exceeds 20m

CESTODES
General Characteristics
Endoparasites, adults live in
intestines of vertebrates
No digestive tract, it takes in
nutrients through microvili
The head is called scolex, and
attaches to the intestinal wall o/t
host with suckers or bothria
Larval stages in 1 or 2 intermediate
hosts

Taenia saginata
(Beef Tapeworm)
Family Taeniidae
Commonest Taenia infection, noticed
since ancient times
Widely distributed w/ the increase of beef
consumption
Ingestion of raw or poorly cooked beef
Final host: humans
Imediate host: bovidae
Habitat : jejunum o/t small intestine
Prepaten period : 10-12 weeks

Life Cycle

Taenia saginata
Morphology

Pathology & Simptomatology

-Detached gravid proglottids may crawl
actively out o/t anus
causing
discomfort & embarrasment o/t host
-The adult parasite probably causes no
symptom in most patient
- Nausea, abd. pain, decrease appetite,
loss of weight, headache, vomiting.
- May causes intestinal obstruction

Lab Diagnosis :
- motile proglottid in feces
- QDP (Questionaire
Demonstration Proglotids)
- Anal swab
Treatment :
- Praziquantel

Taenia solium
(Pork Tapeworm)
Recognised since biblical times
The most dangerous taeniasis for
human
Risk of cysticercosis (cysticercus
cellulose)
Widely distribution, closely
associated w/ pigs

Taenia solium
Morphology
Morphologically
similar to, but
smaller than, T.
saginata
The scolex has four
suckers and hooks
arranged around the
rostellum

Taenia solium
Morphology
Scolex of Taenia solium with suckers and rostellar
hooks

Taenia solium
Morphology
Less than 1000 proglottids, body
length is ranging between 2 and
3m
The number of testes is far less
than that for T. saginata
Less lateral uterine branches,
about 7-12 pairs

Taenia solium
Proglottid

Taenia solium
Morphology
The egg is
similar to that
of T. saginata,
only it is
nearly
spherical while
the lattest is
elliptical

Taenia spp.
Cysticercus

Taenia solium
Life Cycle
Final host is humans
Imediate host is mainly swine
Evagination to be six hooked four suckers
larva (onchosphere) in small intestine
Attaches to mucosa (penetrates in cysticercosis)
Matures in 5-12 weeks
Usually long lived (25 years) single worm

Mode of transmission :
Ingestion of raw or
insufficiently cooked
pork harboring
Cysticercus
cellulosae
Lab Diagnosis :
- Finding gravid
proglottid in the stool
- QDP
- Anal swab

Prevention :
- Personal higine
- Avoid consuming
raw or unproperly
cooked pork etc

Taenia saginata & Taenia

solium
Taeniasis
Human cases of intestinal
taeniasis show mild subacute
inflamation of the intestinal
mucosa due to attachment of the
scolex to the mucosa with its
hooks and suckers

 Adult parasite :
- the disease is called teaniasis
- asymptomatic
- symptomps are generally mild
- if present, they are
gastrointestinal
disturbances such as :

- nausea
- abdominal pain
- vomitting
- decreased appetite
- loss of weight
- weakness
- diarrhea or constipation
- hunger pain
- headache
- intestinal obstruction :
appendicitis

 Another characteristic symptom is an itch

accompanied by uncomfortable sensation in
the anal region which is due to free proglottids
coming out the anus

Larvae/Cysticercus :
- the disease is called human cysticercosis
- upon ingestion by humans the outer shell
disintegrates in
the small intestine
and the onchosphere is able to invade the
intestinal wall and enter the blood vessel.
- the larva complete development in 2 months

Larvae/Cysticercus :
- It may be carried in the blood stream to any
part of the body and may lodge in any tissue
- Prefered sites are the brain, eyes, skeletal
muscles, heart, liver and lungs
- Many cases are asymptomatic. Most
commonly heavy infections are in the brain
and eye
- 60 % are found in the brain, 3 % are in the
eye
- Worldwide, neurocysticercosis(NCC) is the
most common parasite disease of CNS

Larvae/Cysticercus :
- The most frequent symptoms are focal
seizure and headache
- Cysticercosis of the eye gives rise such as :
visual difficulties, retinal
oedema,hemorhage/vasculitis or
detachment
- When cysticercus are developed in the
muscle, in large numbers, it produces
myositis, muscle swelling then calcification

Treatment
The recommended drugs :
1.Albendazole 2x400mg tablets given in 3
days
2.Praziquantel : 20 mg/kgBB
3.Atabrin : adult : 0.8 gr.
+laxative (particularly for cysticercosis case)