The unarmed tapeworm (Taenia saginata) is the longest and the most common tapeworm in Poland. Abdominal pain, lack of appetite, weight loss, nausea, sometimes diarrhea, general malaise and increasing weakness - these are just some of the symptoms that may indicate that an unarmed tapeworm has settled in our digestive tract.

The unarmed tapeworm( Taenia saginata ) is one of the types of parasites for which man is the ultimate host. This means that it is in the human small intestine that it develops into its adult form, and at the same time reaches sexual maturity and therefore can start to reproduce. The unarmed tapeworm is one of the longest parasites that can enter the human intestine - it is usually four to ten meters long and about 8 mm in diameter. Its body is flat, composed of limbs, it has suction cups thanks to which it sticks to the intestinal wall, but unlike the armed tapeworm it does not contain additional hooks.

Unarmed tapeworm: routes of infection

The most common human infection occurs after eating undercooked, undercooked or even raw beef (e.g. beef tartare), because the intermediate host in the case of unarmed tapeworm is cattle (e.g. a cow). Initially, the parasite living in the human digestive tract may not cause any specific disease symptoms. Only as it develops (usually about six to eight weeks after infection, the tapeworm larva transforms into an adult individual) an infected person may begin to experience disturbing symptoms.

Unarmed tapeworm: symptoms of infection

Abdominal pain, sometimes colic, may also lead to loss of appetite or impaired appetite. Without a clear reason, such as a change in diet, a person infected with the tapeworm begins to lose weight. Common symptoms are also nausea, vomiting, sometimes diarrhea or, on the contrary, constipation, generally there are deviations in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Characteristically, many people who become infected with the tapeworm complain of a general malaise and increasing weakness. Sometimes the symptoms are so nonspecific, e.g. paroxysmal headaches, hives, that the doctor may not initially consider the parasite infection, and only the tests performedclearly indicate that we are dealing with an unarmed tapeworm.

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Unarmed tapeworm: diagnostics

The basic screening test for bare tapeworm is the stool test. Its purpose is to find individual members of the parasite or its eggs. It is a very effective method of diagnosis, although it happens that in the early stages of the existence of the tapeworm in the body, it may sometimes go undetected. In justified cases, a rectal swab or blood count is also performed, because patients often have higher levels of white blood cells and eosinophilia. If the diagnosis is confirmed, it is also recommended to examine the feces of the closest family members of the infected person.

Unarmed tapeworm: treatment

The news about the detection of a parasite in the body is sometimes a surprise, because non-specific symptoms not everyone expects this type of diagnosis. Fortunately, there are proven and effective drugs that make getting rid of the bare tapeworm quite simple. The doctor introduces the appropriate therapy, the most common are praziquantel or niclosamide. They are powerful antiparasitic drugs that cause the tapeworm to detach from the walls of the small intestine and then pass out in the faeces. Sometimes medication has to be taken for a long time to be sure that we are able to get rid of the parasite in its entirety, especially the head, from which the tapeworm can grow back. After the treatment is completed, the stool test is performed again to confirm that the treatment was successful.

Important

Important prophylaxis

In order to protect yourself against infection with unarmed tapeworm, you should first of all follow the basic rules of hygiene, especially when handling beef. We should also not buy meat from unproven sources, when there is a suspicion that it has not been veterinary tested. The most important thing, however, is the proper preparation of meat (cooking, baking, frying), because the larvae survive even at 45-50 degrees C. When freezing meat, remember that they die at -10, but only after 5-7 days.

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Category:

Parasitic diseases