Human Tapeworm – Preventing the Onset of a Harmful Parasite

They say an ounce of prevention is worth pounds of cure. But how can you prevent something that you are totally unaware of? Such is the case with parasites – like the human tapeworm.

Human tapeworm is a type of intestinal parasite that uses the body of the human host to continue its life cycle. This type of parasite belongs to the family Cestoda and has several varieties which can all affect humans. This include beef tapeworm (a common type in North America), pork tapeworm (infects people from Latin America, and fish tapeworm (which are prevalent in Asia).

These parasites can have sizes between six inches and 26 feet long. Flat and ribbon like organisms, tapeworms’ bodies are divided into three parts, the head, neck and the proglottids (or body segments). The head is used to attach the parasite’s body into the intestinal walls. As long as its head is attached, it can survive and can even form new tapeworms. Eggs coming from the proglottids cab detach and make way through the body of the human host. Poorly digested food is absorbed by tapeworms through their skin. So the longer their body is, the more nutrients they can absorb from their hosts.

Since these parasites have reproductive organs, adult males and females can produce eggs, which are released through bowel movements. Once free, they will seek the closest water supply. These embryos enter the body of a human host when the person comes in direct contact with an infected feces or by taking contaminated food or water. Experts say that when a tapeworm is in its embryo stage, it is at its most dangerous because cysticercosis may occur.

Tapeworm infestations are hard to notice, and most patients are unaware that they are infected with human tapeworms. Symptoms are hardly noticeable. They may even be misdiagnosed. Infected individuals only start to think whether they are infected or not when they see segments of headless worms in their tools.