ORGANISM 4--Taenia solium
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
COMMON NAME: Pork tapeworm.
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Worldwide
PATHOGENESIS: Inflammation of intestinal mucosa, intestinal perforation, anemia,
eosinophilia, toxemia, cysticercal lesions, fibrous capsules,
CNS malfunction, chorioretinitis, blindness, lesions of brain,
calcification in tissues.
HABITAT: Small intestines.
INTERMEDIATE HOST
USUALLY: Swine.
CYSTICERCOSIS: Man may become the intermediate host by ingesting the
egg, in which case the cysticercus larva encysts in muscle.
RESERVOIR HOST: Man is the only definitive host.
INFECTIVE: Cysticercus larva.
MODE OF INFECTION: Ingestion.
SPECIMEN OF CHOICE: Feces.
Figure 3-44. Life cycle of Taenia solium.
MD0842
3-52
Previous Page
