Taeniasis with T. saginata and T. solium tapeworms (Taenia) in the small intestinal lumen is largely asymptomatic. Microscopic lesions have not been described, except for slight eosinophilia. However, after ingestion of T. solium eggs humans can act as intermediate hosts. The larval cysts develop in almost any tissue and can cause serious damage especially when they involve special areas of the brain (Cysticercosis).
Main Clinical Symptoms
Loss of weight, abdominal pain, anal pruritus.
Incubation Period
Eight weeks.
Prepatent Period
Eight to eighteen weeks.
Patent Period
Twenty-five years in man.
Diagnosis
Occurrence of typical white proglottids in feces (Fig. 1).
Typical singly excreted proglottis of Taenia worms
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Mehlhorn, H. (2015). Taeniasis, Man. In: Mehlhorn, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Parasitology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27769-6_3096-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27769-6_3096-2
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Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27769-6
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