1. Taenia solium “The Pork Tapeworm”
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Platyhelminthes
Class:
Cestoda
Order:
Cyclophyllidea
Family:
Taeniidae
Genus:
Taenia
Species:
T. solium
By: Christopher Ellis

2. What’s it do? Taenia solium causes two different diseases…
2.) taeniasis – digestive tract
Develops when adult tapeworm infects human intestine
3-6 feet long
Asymptomatic but continuous source of eggs in the feces
1.) cysticerosis – muscle tissues
Eggs cross digestive tract, enter circulation, and lodge in muscle tissues
If it’s in the brain it’s neurocysticerosis

3. Morphology Larvae Tapeworm Larvae enters body and forms…
Taenia solium
Morphology
Larvae
Tapeworm Larvae enters body and forms…
cysticerci which are 6- 18mm wide by 4 - 6mm in length when found in the muscle tissue.
Pig muscle infected with cysticerci
However, it may also be found in other tissues such as in the C.N.S. where they may grow up to several cm in diameter!

4. Affects in the Human - Larva
Taenia solium
Affects in the Human - Larva
Affects C.N.S. and brain
Other Muscle Tissue
severe pain, paralysis, and epileptic convulsions
swelling of the brain (called hydrocephalus)
May feel lumps
Asymptomatic unless involving ocular tissue, then…
loss of consciousness or even death!
Great discomfort and possible detachment of retina
The annual mortality rate is approximately 50,000 cases worldwide!

5. Eggs or gravid proglottids are passed through “feces”
Taenia solium
Life Cycle
Eggs or gravid proglottids are passed through “feces”
Pigs become infected by consuming infected eggs or gravid proglottids
In the pig’s intestine, the oncosphere hatches
The oncosphere invades the intestinal wall and migrates to the striated muscles, where they develop into cysticerci
In the human intestine, the cysticercus develops over 2 months into an adult tapeworm, which can survive for years. The tapeworm attaches to the small intestine by their scolex.

6. Hosts to T. solium Humans are the only definitive host for
Taenia solium
Hosts to T. solium
Humans are the only definitive host for
T. solium (absolute host specifity).

7. Taenia solium
Taenia solium eggs
T. solium eggs

8. Intermediate Host - Pigs
Taenia solium
Intermediate Host - Pigs
Intermediate Host (Pig) consumes infected eggs
T. solium eggs

9. Definitive Host - Humans
Taenia solium
Definitive Host - Humans
Definitive Host (Human) consumes infected pork
(Measly) Pork is infected with tapeworm cysticerci
Intermediate Host (Pig) consumes infected eggs
T. solium eggs

10. Morphology Adults Taenia solium Rostellum (with roughly 30 hooks)
The strobila consists of between 800 and 1000 proglottids.
Rostellum
(with roughly 30 hooks)
The gravid proglottids are 12mm x 6mm each
scolex
Each proglottid may produce 50,000 eggs respectively!
The adult tapeworms are around 10 feet, but may grow up to 27!

11. Life Cycle in the Human - Adults
Taenia solium
Life Cycle in the Human - Adults
However, sometimes there are non-specific symptoms that form such as constipation or diarrhea.
Occasionally, appendicitis can result from migrating proglottids.
Very rarely is there perforation of the intestinal wall, but when it does occur it is called peritonitis.
25% of cysticercosis infections are aquired by the autoinfection.

12. Risk Factors 50,000 cases reported globally a year!
Taenia solium
Risk Factors
50,000 cases reported globally a year!
However it is VERY rare in Islamic countries where there is little consumption of pork
Poorer countries or more at risk for these parasites
because they are in close contact with pigs and eat
undercooked pork more often
than developed countries.
Latin American Countries especially
are at high risk and experience
many cases of pork tapeworms.

13. Taenia solium
Prevention
Try to keep stable, sanitary conditions in impoverished areas.
Ensure that pork is cooked thoroughly before eaten.
Don’t eat poop.

14. Diagnosis and Treatment
Taenia solium
Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis
Cysticercosis - can appear from 10 days to 10 years after infection.
Taeniasis - eggs occur in stool 8-12 weeks after infection.
Stool samples can diagnose both cysticercosis and teniasis but is not possible during the first 3 months following infection.
Treatment
Treatment is simple and very effective. 
Praziquantel is the drug of choice.
Appropriate drug therapy seems to be the only treatment. There is no immunization available at this time.

15. Pictures Taenia solium bladderworm or cysticercus of Taenia solium.
Contains hooks (Rostellum)
bladderworm or cysticercus of Taenia solium.

16. Scolex of Taenia Solium
More Pictures
Taenia solium removed
Scolex of Taenia Solium
Taenia solium eggs