One of the most well-known helminths that affects humans is the pork tapeworm, which causes taeniasis. This is a white tapeworm, reaches a length of 3-4 meters and parasitizes the small intestine. The body (strobilus) of the tapeworm consists of segments containing eggs; on its head (scolex) there is a double row of teeth and suckers. The disease caused by this parasite is called taeniasis. Tapeworm eggs can also penetrate the body, causing cysticercosis. This worm lives in 3 main endemic zones: African, Asian and Latin American. Among the CIS countries, the helminth is more often found in Western Ukraine, Belarus, and the Krasnodar Territory of the Russian Federation.
Differences between pork tapeworm and bovine tapeworm
Bull tapeworm is also a representative of tapeworms. It has a long lifespan and its body can reach a length of up to 10 meters, while the armed tapeworm does not grow to more than 4 meters. However, adult pork tapeworms are capable of active movement and more severe damage to the host's intestinal mucosa due to teeth and suckers, which are absent in their relatives. Therefore, infection with bovine tapeworm (teniarchosis) is less dangerous for humans and is easier to treat.
Life cycle and epidemiology
The lifespan of a pork tapeworm is more than 10 years. The main characteristic of its life cycle is isolation; several hosts are required for the development of worms. The intermediate host, as a rule, is pigs and wild boars, less often dogs and cats. Together with the food, the animal absorbs helminth eggs, which transform into larvae (oncospheres) in the intestines of the host. Soon, oncospheres spread throughout the body through the bloodstream, settling in organs and tissues. Are there 2 each? After 2.5 months, cysticerci are formed - small larval vesicles containing the scolex of the future worm - the invasive stage of development of the parasite begins.
Humans are the definitive host of the worm. You can become infected with pork tapeworm by eating meat infected with cysticerci that has not undergone sufficient heat treatment. After the scolex worm enters the human body, it is attached to the intestinal wall with the help of teeth and suction cups, and after 2-4 months a sexually mature individual is formed from it. The eggs of the parasite are released into the environment with feces and end up in the food of animals. Thus the cycle begins again.
The armed tapeworm is a hermaphrodite; one segment can contain up to 50,000 eggs. Therefore, there are cases where several parasites were found in one host.
Structure
Pork tapeworm consists of segments (segments). On the rounded head (scolex) there are 4 suckers and a kind of crown on which hooks are placed. Their number reaches 32. Body features allow the parasite to move in the gastrointestinal tract.
Due to its structure, the pork tapeworm is firmly anchored in the host’s intestines. The reproductive organs are located in the anterior segment of the body.
For detailed information on the topic, read our article “On the structure of the pork tapeworm.”
We found out what a pork tapeworm is. We will explain further how to become infected with the parasite.
Characteristics of the spread of pork tapeworm
Human infection occurs through the alimentary (food) route. The most susceptible to the disease are people who regularly come into contact with the main carrier of the parasite - farmers, deboners, sellers in the meat pavilion. Worms can easily enter the body of children, because the latter often take foreign objects found on the street into their mouths. In addition, a person suffering from taeniasis can independently infect himself with cysticerci, so treatment of this disease is carried out exclusively in a hospital.
Symptoms in humans
Belching and abdominal pain are often observed.
First of all, the pork tapeworm with its teeth causes mechanical damage to the intestinal mucosa, which causes irritation and pain. The parasite absorbs nutrients from the host's body, leading to general exhaustion. Often a person experiences an allergic reaction. In addition, taeniasis has a number of symptoms similar to signs of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract:
decreased appetite;
belching;
stomach ache;
stool disorder.
Symptoms of cysticercosis manifest differently, depending on which organs are affected by the larvae. Being in the brain, they cause pain, dizziness, impaired taste and hearing, provoke hallucinations and mental disorders. Cysticerci often cause meningitis and meningoencephalitis. The eyeballs are affected and manifest as decreased vision. In this case, retinal separation and permanent deterioration of the lens are possible. Settling under the skin, cysticerci are grouped into small dense nodules. The cutaneous form of the disease is most often located on the chest and can harm the heart and lungs.
Diagnosis of taeniasis
Since pork tapeworm does not have specific symptoms, its presence is difficult to determine. A helminth infection can be suspected if the patient has a history of eating raw meat. To confirm the diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct a number of laboratory tests:
- stool analysis to detect parasite segments;
- anal scraping to detect eggs;
- complete blood test to detect antibodies;
- Colonoscopy of the intestines will help detect the bodies of worms.
- bioresonance diagnostics
Diagnosing cysticercosis is more difficult. If cysticerci are suspected in the lungs or heart, an X-ray is taken, and in the brain - an MRI or CT scan. Ophthalmoscopy is indicated to identify larvae in the eyes, biopsy - in the skin. Less commonly, larvae can infect the spinal cord; in such cases, a biopsy of the cerebrospinal fluid is indicated.
How to get rid of the parasite?
The basic principles of nutrition are small portions and eating foods with a high content of vitamins.
Regardless of what means of treatment are used, a patient with taeniasis is prescribed a special diet that excludes fats and carbohydrates. You need to eat at least 4 times a day; in small portions, the basis of the diet consists of foods with a high content of vitamins. The day before the start of treatment, you must take a laxative saline solution and give a cleansing enema. 2.5-3 hours after taking the medication, it is necessary to ensure that the body of the tapeworm leaves the body along with the feces. If the patient's stool is disturbed, he is given an enema again. It is important to avoid vomiting to avoid re-entering the intestines of helminth segments.
Cysticercosis is treated comprehensively, using anthelmintic and anti-inflammatory drugs. Most often, 2-3 courses of medication are prescribed, at least 14 days each. If skin and muscles are affected, symptomatic treatment is necessary. Cysticerci are removed surgically from the brain and eyeballs. After eliminating the larvae, constant monitoring by a doctor is necessary.
What drugs are prescribed?
Medicines that provoke the decay of the parasite's body are strictly contraindicated, as they can lead to infection with larvae. The main goal of treatment is to paralyze the tapeworm and remove it from the body. For these purposes, drugs such as Praziquantel (Biltricid) and then Phenasal (promotes the removal of the worm body) are indicated. The dosage of the drugs is prescribed by the doctor; their use is indicated only under supervision. Ayurvedic medicines include Didan Jadid, Krimikuthar Ras, and Krimignavatika. An effective method of getting rid of the parasite is panchakarma. After removing the tapeworm from the intestines, its body is carefully examined to exclude the possibility of residual segments in the intestines, and then burned.
Treatment with folk remedies
Pumpkin seeds are a well-known remedy for cleansing worms and parasites.
Male fern will help effectively get rid of pork tapeworm. It is sold in pharmacies in the form of an extract or gelatin capsules. The product must be taken in the morning on an empty stomach; you can have breakfast no earlier than 1.5 hours later. The average dose for an adult is 4-7 grams of the substance. Tinctures of cloves, hot pepper, wormwood and tansy have similar properties.
Another well-known remedy is pumpkin seeds. They can be consumed raw, after being crushed and washed down with plenty of boiled water. However, a decoction prepared the day before will be more effective. To do this, you will need to pour 500 grams of seeds with boiling water and cook in a water bath for 1-1.5 hours. The medicine is taken strictly on an empty stomach.
Prevention of taeniasis
Treating taeniasis is unpleasant; it is much easier to prevent the disease. Infection with pork tapeworm occurs due to consumption of infected meat, so it is imperative to monitor the heat treatment of pork. Worm eggs die when heated to 80° for an hour or when frozen for 10 days. Often the source of infection is barbecue, since its preparation does not involve sufficient cooking necessary to destroy the parasite. Under no circumstances should you taste raw minced meat during the cooking process. When purchasing meat, you must make sure that it has passed the proper veterinary and sanitary examination and that the seller has documents confirming this fact. A mandatory preventive measure is compliance with hygiene standards - washing hands before eating, disinfecting the bathroom and regularly washing personal belongings. And, of course, at the first suspicion of tapeworm infection, you should consult a doctor.
Where can you find the parasite: geography of the disease
Pork tapeworm is found where it is warm and livestock farming flourishes.
Geographical distribution: hot countries of Asia, Africa, Latin America. The parasite is common in the Baltic states, Belarus and Ukraine. Russia, with its developed agriculture, is no exception.
In endemic areas of foreign countries, the percentage of infected pigs is 35. There are more than 2 hundred thousand people infected with pork tapeworm.
In Russia, the main foci of infection are: Perm, Krasnoyarsk, Khabarovsk territories.
Symptoms and treatment of the disease in pigs
The disease in the animal is subclinical, without signs. If there are many parasite eggs in the body, symptoms of pork tapeworm include: anxiety, weakness, reluctance to eat, rapid heartbeat and breathing. On palpation of the liver there is pain.
In some cases, pigs show swelling, signs of anemia, and weight loss. If the brain is affected, tremors, paresis, and convulsions occur. When the larvae settle in the liver and then emerge from it, internal bleeding begins and the animal dies.
Cysticercosis in pigs is diagnosed when round formations are detected in the skin and soft tissues of the body and legs.
Many drugs have been tested against cysticerci: albendazole, praziquantel. However, they are ineffective. Therefore, infected pigs are simply slaughtered and the meat is disposed of.
Find out more in the article “Methods for treating pork tapeworm.”
Prevention on farms
The routes of infection and possible victims are numerous. Medical professionals and veterinarians work together on preventive measures. Monitor the sanitary condition of farms.
You cannot slaughter pigs and sell the meat without a veterinary examination. And animals that are handed over to slaughter centers are tagged.
If, when examining meat on an area of 40 square meters. cm, more than 3 Finns are identified, the carcass is rejected and destroyed. If the Finn is smaller, they are neutralized.
One way pigs become infected is through sick dogs, which often live on farms. Stray animals are caught, and yard dogs are treated quarterly for worms. It is prohibited to give them meat from pigs that have not undergone a full veterinary and sanitary examination.
Does cysticercosis occur in humans?
Although humans act as the primary host of the parasite, they can develop cysticercosis. The disease is accompanied by taeniasis - the direct presence of tapeworm in the body. And it occurs as a result of autoinvasion (self-infection). This usually happens when mature tapeworm larvae enter the stomach with particles of vomit.
Cysticercosis without taeniasis is also possible. When a person becomes an intermediate and not a permanent host of the parasite.
Finns affect different organs in humans. Localization in the brain is dangerous - neurocysticercosis. Accompanied by neurological and psychiatric abnormalities: speech and hearing disorders, epilepsy, severe headaches. Leads to disability and death. If the larvae infect the eyes, the patient becomes blind.
How do pigs infected with tapeworm get sick?
In pigs, the parasite remains as larvae and causes cysticercosis or finnosis. Once in the pig's intestines, the egg shell dissolves. Through the intestinal lining, the parasite enters the lymphatic system, the blood, and begins its journey through the body. The larvae settle in the muscles, including the heart, and in the brain.
Cysticercosis develops in two types. The first one is tenuikol. With this form of the disease, the Finns settle in the liver, where live larvae emerge from them. For 2-3 weeks they feed on liver tissue. And then they exit through the parenchyma into the abdominal cavity and affect other organs.
Ripe cysticerci of pork tapeworm are large - about the size of a chicken egg. They can form clusters of blisters. Each one develops the head of a worm.
The second form is cellulosic cysticercosis. Finns hit the muscles. The pig shows no symptoms. Death occurs if the heart is affected.
