How Taenia Saginata Is Spread Ideal Diagnosis And Treatment

Taenia Saginata
Taenia Saginata also known as Taeniarhynchus Saginatus falls under the parasite disease category. The disease is commonly known as beef tapeworm. Infection to humans occurs as a result of consuming uncooked or raw beef carrying cysticerci. Cysticerci is a hermaphrodite infective larvae whose composition comes complete with both male and female reproductive system (Adams and DeVlieger DD.).
Once the larvae enter the body of a host human through ingestion it reproduces by self-fertilization and hatches in the host’s intestines. Hatching of the ingested larvae will take place within 5 and 12 weeks where an adult warm develops. The first symptoms of the disease after consumptions will appear between 3 and 6 months (Adams and DeVlieger DD.). The adult warm can remain in the host human body for as long as 25 to 30 years (Moren A. et al).
Once in the host human body symptoms such as; nervousness, hunger pains, weight loss, insomnia and anorexia may be observed. In some cases tapeworm infection to humans are not easily determined since some symptoms fail to manifest and in other cases they manifest in minimal undetectable quantities. Other symptoms to some people include abdominal pains, upset stomach, digestive disturbances, weight loss and possible intestinal obstruction. The absolute and most visible symptom is the infected person actively passes proglottids (segments of the tapeworm) through anus excretion of feces (Adams and DeVlieger DD.). In some rare cases some segment of the tape maybe found in the appendix, pancreatic ducts and the bile duct (Moren A. et al).
Upon diagnosis and establishment that an infection with is existent the ideal treatment is a drug that seeks to kill and facilitate excretion of the parasite with a drug such as Praziquantel. Other treatment preferences are as a healthcare provider or specialized physician may prescribe in accordance to diagnosis and care (Adams and DeVlieger DD.).
Humans are generally infected as a result of eating raw or undercooked meat from animals that have the infective larvae, called cysticerci. As hermaphrodites, each body segment called proglottid has complete sets of both male and female reproductive systems. This are the segments that reproduce while in the human body by self-fertilization and develop into a larvae (Adams and DeVlieger DD.).
In the medical world there are no known vaccines for the disease. However there are ideal preventive measures. This measure requires that ideal examination of meat before being presented for human consumption combined with avoiding eating raw or undercooked meat. Medical personnel place emphasis that one should ensure that meat is fully cooked before consumption.
Interestingly human to human transfer and infection of the diseases Taenia Saginata is possible when the tapeworm eggs are excreted. In a case where poor hygiene in managing human waste is observed once the tapeworm eggs shed in the feces they may accidentally be released to the environment and end up contaminating human consumables (food and drink). This results to transmission of cysticercosis from human to others unknowingly (Adams and DeVlieger DD.). There are minimal chances of contaminating and thus being infected with cysticercosis from house hold pets. However, where a pet is diagnosed with Dipylidium Caninum (a flea tapeworm) humans may be infected.
Works Cited
Adams, AM, and DeVlieger DD. Seafood Parasites: Prevention, Inspection, and Haccp. Foodborne Disease Handbook. Ed. Hui YH, Sattar SA, Murrell KD, Nip WK, Stanfield PS, eds. Vol. 2. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc, 2001. Print.
Moren A. et al. "Practical Field Epidemiology to Investigate a Cholera Outbreak in a Mozambican Refugee Camp in Malawi. ." Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 94 (1991): -7. Print.