Taenia
Taenia spp of Humans
Taenia saginata
Taenia solium
Taenia spp of the Dog
Taenia ovis
Taenia pisiformis
| Taenia pisiformis | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Platyhelminthes |
| Class | Cestoda |
| Order | Cyclophyllidea |
| Family | Taeniidae |
| Genus | Taenia |
| Species | T. pisiformis |
| Also known as: | Cysticercus pisiformis |
Hosts
Definitive host: Dogs and foxes.
Intermediate host: Rabbits and hares.
Identification
T. pisiformis is around 2m in length, and have large scolexes and hooks.
Life Cycle
Infection of the intermediate host is through ingestion of the tapeworm eggs shed by the dogs. The hatch in the small intestine of the intermediate host, they then continue to develop in the liver and the abdominal cavity.
The definitive host is infected by ingestion of the cysticercus. The prepatent period of T. pisinformis is around 7 weeks.
- It is similar to T. hydatigena, except that the cysticerci are pea-sized and are found on the omentum of rabbits.
References
Taylor, M.A, Coop, R.L., Wall,R.L. (2007) Veterinary Parasitology Blackwell Publishing
Taenia multiceps
| Taenia multiceps | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Platyhelminthes |
| Class | Cestoda |
| Order | Cyclophyllidea |
| Family | Taeniidae |
| Genus | Taenia |
| Species | T. multiceps |
| Also known as: | Multiceps multiceps
|
Hosts
Definitive host: Dogs and foxes.
Intermediate host: Cattle, sheep, pig, horses and man.
Identification
T. multiceps are around 5cm in length.
Life Cycle
The intermediate host is infected via ingestion of the parasite eggs. These eggs hatch in the small intestine. The parasite the migrates to the spinal cord and brain via the blood stream. The definitive host becomes infected when it eats the spinal bord, or brain of the intermediate host.
References
Taylor, M.A, Coop, R.L., Wall,R.L. (2007) Veterinary Parasitology Blackwell Publishing
Taenia serialis
| Taenia serialis | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Platyhelminthes |
| Class | Cestoda |
| Order | Cyclophyllidea |
| Family | Taeniidae |
| Genus | Taenia |
| Species | T. serialis' |
| Also known as: | Coenurus serialis |
Hosts
Definitive host:Dog.
Intermediate host: Rabbit.
Identification
T. serialis is around 0.5m, with two prominent rows of hooks.
Life Cycle
The intermediate host is infected through ingestion of the tapeworm egg, which is shed by the dog, which acts as the definitive host. These develop and form cysts in the intermuscular connective tissues of rabbits, often causing a soft subdermal swelling. . The definitive host then becomes infected through ingestion of the metacestode.
References
Taylor, M.A, Coop, R.L., Wall,R.L. (2007) Veterinary Parasitology Blackwell Publishing
Taenia spp of the Cat
Taenia taeniaeformis
| Taenia taeniaformis | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Platyhelminthes |
| Class | Cestoda |
| Order | Cyclophyllidea |
| Family | Taeniidae |
| Genus | Taenia |
| Species | T. taeniaformis |
| Also known as: | Hydatigera taeniaeformis
|
Hosts
Definitive host: Cats, and foxes.
Intermediate host: Mice, rats, rabbits, and squirrels.
Identification
The adult is around 70 cm, and has a large scolex.
Life Cycle
The eggs are past in faeces, which are ingested by the intermediate host. The metacestode matures in the intermediate host, before being ingested by the definitive host.
References
Taylor, M.A, Coop, R.L., Wall,R.L. (2007) Veterinary Parasitology Blackwell Publishing