Taenia solium

From WikiVet English
Jump to navigation Jump to search


Taenia solium
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Platyhelminthes
Class Cestoda
Order Cyclophyllidea
Family Taeniidae
Genus Taenia
Species T. solium
Taenia solium
Roberto J. Galindo, Wikimedia Commons
Also known as: Cysticercus cellulosae
Human pork tapeworm

Hosts

Intermediate host: Pig, and also occasionally the dog and man.

Definitive host: Man.

Identification

The adults are 3-5m in length, have a scolex, and several rows of hooks.

Life Cycle

The life-cycle is similar to that of T. saginata, except now the pig is the intermediate host. Gravid segments, containing the parasite eggs are passed in faeces. The oncospheres are then ingested by the intermediate host, in this case the pig, and pass into the blood system, infecting striated muscles. The cysticerci may also develop in the lungs, liver, kidney and the brain. Like T. saginata, humans, which are the definitive host becomes infected via ingestion of poorly cooked meat.


References

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