The highest proportion of contaminated samples being those collected from kitchen gardens. Interestingly the authors noted a large increase in the fox population had been occurring in Varmia-Masuria Province at that time and people living there often consumed their own home grown fruit and vegetables and also collected fruits and mushrooms from the forest.
They concluded that consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables and mushrooms could pose a risk of infection by this highly pathogenic tapeworm. Their findings have recently been challenged by Lucy Robertson and colleagues. These researchers recognise that Poland has a relatively higher incidence of AE than other Baltic countries.
However, they propose that the inferences with respect to the danger posed by eating fresh, raw produce from the area that were made in the paper may have been too dramatic and cause undue concern. The authors of the original paper have just published a reply to this challenge. The authors do not think the results of their study surprising as they were sampling sites with the highest risk of contamination.
They reaffirm that although the risk of infection is unknown, public awareness of this risk of contracting AE in these areas should be increased and eating unwashed fruit and vegetables should be avoided. As with all parasitological research, a fine line must be drawn between dissemination of information and the induction of panic. Yet this nightmarish scenario is a reality for many people and animals around the world.
However, not all parasites are created equal. Defined most broadly as any organism that has adapted to living on or in another organism, this estimate includes organisms like fungi, protozoa, viruses, and bacteria. Helminth is a term used for the group of macroparasitic worms that primarily live in the digestive tracts of vertebrate hosts. The National Institutes of Health estimates that there may be up to , different species of helminth. As discussed above, a tapeworm is a type of parasite that lives and feeds in the digestive tract of its host.
The primary difference between these two can be identified in the larvae: Eucestoda has six posterior hooks on the scolex the tapeworm head and Cestodaria has ten hooks.
Of the many thousands of species of helminth, there are only a few cestodes that typically affect humans. Some of these are categorized by the foods where they are found: Diphyllobothrium latum fish tapeworm , Taenia solium pork tapeworm , and Taenia saginata beef tapeworm. Some other common tapeworms are hymenolepis typically in rodents and Dipylidium caninum typically in dogs.
So how does one become a tapeworm infection? As is perhaps implied by the categorization scheme noted above, humans most often become infected by eating undercooked meat and fish. When a cow or pig has a tapeworm infestation, for example, the worms lay eggs inside the animal. These tapeworm eggs or resulting larvae can then get lodged in the muscle tissue of the animal.
Dipylidium tapeworm eggs are rarely released into the feces and are therefore not usually detected by routine fecal exams performed by your veterinarian. Because of this, veterinarians depend on you to notify them of possible tapeworm infection in your pet. Yes; however, the risk of infection with this tapeworm in humans is very low.
For a person to become infected with Dipylidium , he or she must accidentally swallow an infected flea. Most reported cases involve children. The most effective way to prevent infections in pets and humans is through flea control.
A child who is infected will usually pass proglottids or what appears as rice in a bowel movement or find them stuck to the skin around the anal area. Treatment for both animals and humans is simple and very effective. A prescription drug called praziquantel is given, either orally or by injection pets only. The medication causes the tapeworm to dissolve within the intestine. The drugs are generally well-tolerated.
This information is not meant to be used for self-diagnosis or as a substitute for consultation with a health care provider. Over time, these cysts grow, sometimes large enough to crowd the functioning parts of the organ or reduce its blood supply. Tapeworm cysts sometimes rupture, releasing more larvae, which can move to other organs and form additional cysts.
A ruptured or leaking cyst can cause an allergy-like reaction, with itching, hives, swelling and difficulty breathing. Surgery or organ transplantation may be needed in severe cases.
Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Tapeworm infection is caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with tapeworm eggs or larvae. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Bennett JE, et al. Tapeworms Cestodes. Philadelphia, Pa.
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