Taenia saginata

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Taenia saginata
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Platyhelminthes
Class Cestoda
Order Cyclophyllidea
Family Taeniidae
Genus Taenia
Species T. saginata
Taenia saginata
Hubert Ludwig, Wikimedia Commons
Also known as: Cysticercus bovis
Beef tape worm
Beef measles

Hosts

Definitive host: Man.

Intermediate host: Cattle.

Identification

The adult is only found in humans, and is normally 5m in length, but may grow up to 3 times the length. The body is white and has a prominent anterior scolex, but no hooks.

The Proglottid has a thich outer shell, containing several hundred thousand eggs.

Life Cycle

Eggs are past by the host, and survive on the pasture. The oncosphere is then ingested by the intermediate host, the cow in this case. These infect the striated muscle, which are visible as cysts. Humans become infected by ingestion of poorly cooked meat.

References

Taylor, M.A, Coop, R.L., Wall,R.L. (2007) Veterinary Parasitology Blackwell Publishing