Taenia Saginata Treatment

Taenia Saginata Treatment

General Considerations 

Taenia saginata or beef Tape worm distribution is world wide, wherever semi cooked or raw beef is consumed.

Man is infected by ingestion of raw or under cooked beef containing the larval stage of parasite (cysticerca). These larvae pass on to small intestine and mature in several months. Adult tape worm consists of ribbon like segments numbering about 2000. Mature worms can attain a length of 410 meters. Segments detached from parent worm, are passed in the stools and can be recognized macro or microscopically. Man is the definitive host. When the eggs are ingested by cattle the shell is digested in the duodenum or jejunum and the embryo is set free. It penetrates the intestinal mucosa of the cattle and reaches the skeletal muscles-cysticercus, which can remain in the muscle of the cattle for upto eight months. Thus the cattle, cow or ox are the intermediate hosts.

Signs and Symptoms 

There may be symptoms except the passage of segments through the anus. There may be vague abdominall pain.

Laboratory Diagnosis 

1. Recongnition of proglottid segments in the stools.
2. Reognition of eggs microscopically in the stool or on perianal adhesive tape.

Treatment 

Single dose of Niclosamide 1 gm for children weighing 11-34 kg and 1.5 gm for those over 34 kgs. The drug is given on an empty stomach in the morning and must be thoroughly chewed.