- Elongated and cylindrical in shape

LESSON TWENTY-SEVEN - ”looks like actual cooked spaghetti :3”-

PARASITOLOGY: HELMINTHOLOGY
Helminths
- Parasitic worms that feed on a living host
to gain nourishment and protection, while
causing poor nutrient absorption,
weakness and disease in the host.
- Classic example of Parasitism
Sir Kong
- Are Diecious: Separate organism for male
and female in comparison to other
organisms which are Monoecious
(Hermaphrodites)
- Further classified according to the:
a) Presence or absence of a posterior
sensory organ: Phasmid
b) Habitat

Parasitism
- Symbiotic relationship between two very
dissimilar organisms (nematode and
human being)
- One organism thrives while the other is
hurt in the process.

Clinically Significant Groups

1) Nematodes
2) Cestodes
3) Trematodes

Phasmid Nematodes
● Hookworms
● Ascaris
● Parastrongylus
● Strongyloides
● Enterobius

Aphasmid Nematodes
● Trichuris
● Trichinella
● Capillaria

Intestinal Nematodes (Small and Large

Intestine)
● Hookworms
● Ascaris
● Strongyloides
● Capillaria
● Trichuris
● Enterobius

Nematodes
- AKA “Roundworms”
22
Extraintestinal Nematodes - Usually found in the intestines of
(Lymphatic/Circulatory System) the definitive host
● Wuchereria ➔ Notable structures:
● Brugia 1) Scolex
● Panstrongylus - Anterior structures
- Used by the organism to
Modes of Infection attach to the definitive host
1) Ingestion of embryonated eggs (ex: Humans)
○ MOI: Ascaris, Trichuris, Enterobius - Can have hooks or suckers
○ Can penetrate skin (MOI: in order to help them on
Hookworms, Strongyloides) attachment
2) Ingestion of larva
○ MOI: Capillaria, Trichinella, 2) Neck
Parastrongylus - Region of growth because
3) Bites of insect vectors the segmentation or the
○ Ex: Bites of mosquitoes strobilation originates from
○ MOI: Wuchereria and Brugia it
4) Autoinfection 3) Strobila
○ You are the source of the infection 4) Proglottids
○ MOI: Capillaria, Strongyloides - Segments
(Commonly transmitted through - Proglottids closest to the
Autoinfection), Enterobius neck are the most
immature
- As we go further down the
organism it is followed in
the increase of mature
segments
➢ Gravid Segments
○ Most mature
segments as it
contains eggs,
ovum, and larva

Cestodes
- AKA “Tapeworms”
- Dorsoventrally flattened
- Segmented, ribbon-like appearance
- Incomplete digestive tract
- No circulatory system
- Monoecious
➔ Larva stages:
- Usually found in the tissues of the
intermediate host
➔ Adult tapeworms:
- Are hermaphroditic
 2. Ventral Sucker called the
Clinically Significant Tapeworms: Acetabulum
● Cyclophyllidea 3. Genital Sucker called the Gonotyl
● Pseudophyllidea (Only for Heterophyids)
- Monoecious (Both male and female
Mode of Infection of Cestodes reproductive structure)
➔ Generally: Ingestion of infected - Can have Operculated eggs
intermediate hosts - Grouped together according to their
habitat

Pseudophyllidean Tapeworms
➢ Bothria
○ Scolex is Spatulate in shape
○ Have sucking grooves
➢ Has aUterine Pore
○ Allows the release of the egg from Two Intermediate Hosts
the gravid uterus First:
➢ 2 intermediate Hosts - Snail
➢ Diagnosis:
○ Operculated eggs Second:
- Fish
Cyclophyllidean Tapeworms - Crustacean
➢ Globular Scolex - Freshwater plant
○ Circular with four muscular - Snail
suckers
➢ Undergo the process of Apolysis Infective Stage
○ Gravid segments detach from the - Generally: Metacercaria
main body of the worm and after - For Schistosomes: Cercaria
which the eggs are released
➢ Does not have uterine pores
○ They therefore do not release their Intestinal Nematodes
eggs
➢ 1 Intermediate Hosts Ascaris lumbricoides
➢ Diagnosis: ➢ Common Name:
○ Non-operculated eggs ○ Giant Intestinal Roundworm
○ Segments ○ Common Roundworm
➢ Generally Distributed: Mostly
Trematodes Cosmopolitan
- AKA “Flukes” ○ Most common Helminths found in
- Equipped with suckers: the Philippines, Indonesia and
1. Oral Sucker other SEA countries

24
 Often found in rural areas
○ -
■ Rates often exceed greater
than 50% in Rural areas
➔ Disease: Ascariasis
Brownish because they are bile-stained
- Contain a blastomere which develops
into an embryo
- Have a semilunar space at each pole of
the blastomere (or the embryo).
- Can have a three-layered shell
○ Layers:
■ Vitelline membrane
■ Thick chorionic shell
■ Albuminous layer
- Can float in a saturated solution of
common salt

Adult: Flesh colored, cylindrical in shape, and 2. Unfertilized

they taper at both ends. They have three lips and - Produced by unmated females
have a triangular buccal cavity (triangular mouth). - Narrower and longer
Males: 15-31cm in length and the posterior end - Brownish because they are bile-stained
is curved ventral (curved anteriorly) - Thinner shell
The genital pores of these males open into the ○ Two Layers:
cloaca from which two copulatory spicules would ■ Inner chorionic layer
protrude (very difficult to see because it is quite ■ Outer albuminous layer
small even when using the microscope) - Vitelline membrane is absent
Females: Longer and stouter than the males and - Do not float in a saturated solution of
they usually measure around 20 to 35cm in common salt
length
The vulva is located in the junction of the anterior
and the middle-third of the body and they also
have a Genital Girdle (Used to differentiate male
and female).
Genital girdle
- Grove around the level of the vulva
- The uterus may contain 27 million ova at
one time
A pregnant female can lay up to 200,000 ova per
day (o___o) The lumbricoides eggs are very resistant to
chemicals, extreme temperatures, and can
Two Ways to Describe the Ovum of an Ascaris survive long periods of time in soil (1- 6 years)
Lumbricoides
1. Fertilized
- Usually round in shape
 8. Once in the lungs they can be coughed
up (Adult worms may be found in the
sputum) These can be swallowed again
and enter the GIT once again
➔ They ultimately mature in the small
intestine

The life cycle of A. lumbricoides is usually

referred to as an “indirect cycle” since there is
extensive migration throughout the body prior to
adult worm maturation and egg production.
Mode of Infection
● Ingestion of the embryonated eggs in
raw vegetables fertilized with human
excreta
○ Discouraged to use human excreta
as form of fertilizer as it can
transmit parasites
● Drinking water contaminated with
embryonated eggs
● With soil pollution, eggs may be
transmitted by dirty fingers to the mouth
● Inhalation of desiccated eggs in dust

Prevention
Life Cycle of Ascaris Lumbricoides
- Do not eat unclean food and water
1. Adult worms (male and female) within the
- Make sure to wash hands
small intestine of the human.
2. Worms copulate fertilized and unfertilized
Laboratory Diagnosis
eggs which can be deposited to the soil.
● Finding larvae in sputum or gastric
3. The unfertilized egg will not undergo
washings
further development.
● Stool exam
4. While the fertilized egg can undergo
● Identification of adult worms in stool,
further development from an embryo and
vomitus, nose, or ears
into a third stage larva.
5. When human beings ingest the
embryonated eggs, they become infected
with ascaris lumbricoides (can be found in
improperly prepared food, oral-anal
contact, etc.)
6. Once ingested, they travel through the
mouth → esophagus → stomach → small
intestine → large intestine
7. They are able to undergo lung migration The violet body cavities of parasite and the
(Hatched larva can enter the circulation tissues of the patient can be seen
and migrate to the lungs)

26
 ○ More common in warm, moist
regions of the world
Barium Swallow ➔ Host: Man (Only known host)
- Can be used to diagnose patient with ➔ Habitat: Cecum and other parts of the
Ascaris lumbricoides large intestine
- Radiographic study with Barium sulfate
- Adult worms either take up BaSO4 or not
- Worms are seen on the x-rays as linear
shadows
➢ Tramway sign
○ A group of worms lying parallel //
to each other in the host intestinal
lumen (“trolley car lines”)

- Nowadays barium swallow is not

conducted as it takes a lot of time. The px
history, physical examination, and stool
sample are just needed.
Eggs are barrel in shape and has bipolar mucoid
plugs (two prutubent structures at each end of
the egg). Has four layers and is unsegmented.

Treatment
● Individual infections are cured by a single
dose of any of the broad-spectrum
anti-helminthics such as
○ Albendazole, Mebendazole, and
Pyrantel Pamoate
● Ivermectin has been shown to be as
effective as Albendazole
Trichuris trichiura
- Common name: “Whipworm”
○ Because adult worms look like
“whips”
- Other names:
○ Trichocephalus trichiurus
○ Trichocephalus dispar
➔ Diseases:
○ Trichuriasis
○ Trichocephaliasis
○ Whipworm infection
➔ Geographic distribution: Cosmopolitan
Adult worms are grossly flesh-colored. They are
covered by a transversely striated cuticle. The
posterior end is thicker than the anterior end and
resembles the handle of a whip and the anterior ⅗
looks like the whip portion. The esophagus of this
parasite is very long and occupies approximately
⅔ of the length and it is surrounded by a large
unicellular gland called stichocytes.
Male worms: 30-45mm in length and their
caudal extremity is coiled 360º or more. They
have a single lanceolate spicule which protrudes
through a retractile sheet.
Female worms: 35-50mm in length and are
longer and bigger than that of the males. They
have a blunty rounded posterior end that has a
single genital system. One gravid female can lay
1000 eggs per day. Trichuris trichiura eggs are
much less resistant to desiccation and heat
compared to that of Ascaris. They do not develop
to the infective stage on hard clay and ashes. Laboratory Diagnosis:
They also do not survive in the direct sun’s rays ● Demonstration of characteristic eggs in
or even in cold temperatures. patient’s feces
○ Sometimes, it is necessary to
quantify the amount of eggs
present in the patient’s sample so
that we can relate this to the type
of infection the patient has.
■ Light, Heavy, or Massive
infection can be
determined based on the
number of eggs that is in
the sample
● Light Infection:
Less than 10 eggs
per smear
● Heavy Infection:
Over 50 eggs per
smear
● Massive Infection:
Life Cycle of Trichuris trichiura
Eggs are too
1. Unembryonated eggs are passed through
numerous to count
within the stool and these are deposited
per smear
within the soil.
● Of great value in the diagnosis of clinically
2. In the soil, they develop into a 2-cell stage
significant infection is examination of the
and eventually become embryonated
rectal mucosa by means of proctoscopy
(infective stage)
or examination during rectal prolapse.
3. Humans will ingest the embryonated
○ Proctoscopy: Examine rectal
eggs, these would pass through the
mucosa and is especially
alimentary tract and eventually reach the
important if the patient has rectal
small intestine
prolapse
4. In the small intestine, the unembryonated
■ The rectal prolapse and the
eggs would eventually hatch
rectal mucosa passes
5. These would migrate down to the large
through the rectal canal
intestine where they would populate and
and passes through the
eventually again, lay eggs
anus and is found outside
6. The eggs will be passed through the feces
of the body

Mode of infection:
- Ingestion of embryonated eggs
Capillaria philippinensis
➔ Disease caused: Intestinal Capillariasis

28
 - Called Capillaria philippinensis because
the first case was in the Philippines
➢ Historical Background:
○ 1st case (1963): Male from Ilocos
Norte died 3 days after admission
to PGH with a diagnosis of
malabsorption syndrome
○ 1967: in Pudoc, Ilocos Sur, an
adult male displayed severe
symptoms
○ 1967-1970: 1,400 cases and 95
deaths
○ 1988: a total of 1,877 cases with
115 deaths
➔ Generally Distributed: Northern Luzon,
Leyte, and Thailand

Life cycle of Capillaria philippinensis

The eggs of Capillaria philippinensis look similar
to Trichuris trichiura. Both have bipolar mucoid
plugs but Capillaria philippinensis’ are not
protuberant. The eggs have a thick shell and
have striated bipolar mucoid plugs and are
peanut-shaped.
Male worms: Posterior end has a caudal alae,
has a spicule, and a long non-spiny sheath that
extends to the posterior end.
Female worms: Quite larger than male worms.
The body is divided into two equal parts: Anterior
(contains the esophagus and the schistosome)
and the Posterior end (houses the intestine, the
reproductive system, and even the vulva). They
produce eggs that can either be thick or thin
shelled.
1. Unembryonated eggs are passed into the
feces
2. These unembryonated eggs develop in
the water and become embryonated
3. Eggs are ingested by a freshwater fish
and the fish becomes the intermediate
host
4. Afterwhich, the infected fish is then
ingested by the human being
5. The human being becomes the definitive
host when they consume the intermediate
host either raw or uncooked
6. When the patient ingests the
embryonated egg, it finds its way into the
intestinal mucosa where it develops into
the adult stage
7. In the small intestine, they would copulate
and the females would lay eggs
➢ Unembryonated eggs which are
passed into the feces
➢ Embryonated eggs hatch within
the human being and can actually
reinvade the small intestinal
mucosa (causes autoinfection)
Intestinal Capillariasis
● Patients present with abdominal pain and
borborygmi (stomach growling); they
initially experience intermittent diarrhea
8-10 voluminous stools/ day
● If the disease is not treated soon after the
symptoms occur, severe manifestations of
the disease develop with a potentially
fatal outcome
● Large numbers of worms that develop in
humans is responsible for severe
pathology
Diagnosis
● Stool Exam
● Demonstration of adult worm
● Scrapings from the intestinal wall (Or
Intestinal content)
● Intradermal skin test
Treatment and Prevention
● Mendebazole is the drug of choice
● Albendazole is alternative
● In severe cases, electrolyte replacement is
given to the patient and the patient is put
on a high-protein diet
○ Due to the presence of
malabsorption and patients have
not been getting the adequate
amount of protein for weeks or
months
● Prevention of the spread of this infection:
sanitation and health education programs
to prevent the indiscriminate disposal of
human waster;
○ Discouraging the consumption of
raw/undercooked fish is also
important to control the spread of
infection
Enterobius Vermicularis
ENTEROBIUS VERMICULARIS
- Common name: pinworm,
seatworm
- Other name: Oxyuris vermicularis
- GD: common in temperate and
cold climates
- Disease: Enterobiasis, Oxyuriasis
- Historical notes: known since
ancient times
- Man is the only natural host; entire
life cycle takes place in the GIT
Eggs:
- Eggs are elongate, ovoidal,
asymmetrical, flattened on one
side
- Letter D
- Shell is relatively thick and
colorless
- Embryonated when laid; infective
within 4-6 hours after being
deposited
- Habitat: Cecum, appendix,
ascending colon
Adult:
- White, small, sometimes brownish in color
- Oral ends has 3 lips; lack true buccal
capsule
- Has cephalic alley- bladder like expansion
of cuticle
- Male: posterior ends is posteriorly curved
- ”seatworm”
- 2-5 mm
- Posterior end strongly curved
30
 - Single copulatory spicule; lack
grubarni
- Female:
- 9-13 mm
- Tail sharply pointed
- Vagina- long extended posterior in
the vulva
- ”Pinworms”
- Gravid females= 11105 ova/day
- Male dies, and female reaches the
cecum
- 12-14cm per hour
- Female exits anus in the evening,
and lays eggs in perianal area
- Dies afterwards
- Prefers to move at night (nocturnal
migration), need for oxygen
Mode of Transmission
Autoinfection
- Anus to mouth by finger
contamination or soiled night
clothes
- Patient is his/her own source of
infection
Airborne
- Eggs are dislodged from linens
and get into the mouth, or are
inhaled and swallowed
- May remain in the nose until they
hatch
Retroinfection (retrograde infection)
- Eggs hatch in the anal mucosa →
larvae migrate up into the bowel →
develop into adults
Pathogenesis
- Pruritus ani= severe itching in the
perianal and perineal skin;
dermatitis around the anus is
present migration of egg-laying
females
- Appendicitis (2%)
- Mild eosinophilia
- More frequent infection in young
persons; 3x more in women > men
- Vaginitis in girls: mucoid vaginal
discharge
- Children with heavy infection;
nervousness, loss of appetite,
restlessness, irritability,
nightmares, grinding of teeth, and
bed wetting
Lab Diagnosis
1) Finding the adult worms and ova
2) Adult worms may be seen in feces
(after enemas) in the perianal
region
3) Place worm in vinegar/ alcohol,
and submit to the laboratory
4) Ova is seldom seen in feces (5%);
they are best obtained by:
a) Swabbing the perianal
region
b) From fingernail dirt
-Consistent negative result consistent for 7 days
(infection free)

Treatment
1) Drug of choice
(Mebendazole 100 mg single oral dose) or
albendazole (400 mg single oral dose)

2) Secondary drug of choice: Pyrantel BUCCAL CAPSULE (6 teeth)

pamoate 11 mg/kg base single oral dose
3) Treatment of whole household in
confirmed cases is usually recommended

Hookworm

HOOKWORMS
(Common hookworms of man)
- Do not reproduce within the host
- Infects primarily middle aged persons
Synonym: old world hookworm
Disease: Ancylostomiasis
Geographic distribution
- Europe
- Asia
General Characteristics
- Pathogenesis: Lesions on the intestinal
mucosa, anemia (chronic, nutritional
deficiency type), eosinophilia,
pneumonitis, erythema, dyspnea
- Habitat: small intestines
- Intermediate host: none
- Reservoir host: hogs, dogs, cats, lions,
tigers, and gorillas
- Infective form: Filariform larva

32
 - Dipartite

NECATOR AMERICANUS
- Synonym: New World Hookworm,
American Hookworm, American Murderer
- Disease: Necatoriasis, Uncinariasis
- Predominant human hookworm in the
Philippines
- Important agent in the production of
“laziness” (Southern USA) and “tropical
anemia” (Puerto Rico and other tropics)
 The eggs of the parasites are elongated Ovoid
shape they are unembrianated and it is covered
in delicate shell

Adult form theses worms are delicate worm fillary

form with a simple cephalic tip with three minut
Extraintestinal Nematodes
lips the males organs are more smaller than that
● Angiostrongylus cantonensis
of a females the bursa copulatrix of the male
● Brugia malayi
worm on the right side of the image its small and
● Wuchereria bancrofti
well developed and somewhat kidney shaped, it
has two long copulatory spicules and its is single
Angiostrongylus cantonensis
lobe. The posterior end is directed ventral and
● Aka Parastrongylus cantonensis
always curved or curl some way
● Syn: Pulmonema cantonensis
● Common name: Rodent lung worm
● G.D: Australia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Fiji,
Tahiti, and Hawaii
● Disease: Eosinophilic Meningitis
● Cerebral Angiostrongyliasis
● Symptoms:
○ Headache, meningismus, brain
dyscrasia;
○ Moderate to high eosinophil count
in blood & CSF;
○ Severe cases associated with
paralysis, blindness, coma, or
even death\

(Females are longer than males its around 20 - 25

MM in length and a blunt posterior end. The adult
worms is that the female worms has a barber
pole it is because of their interweaving intestine
and the uterine tubules. They can lay up to
15,000 eggs per day)

34
 ● Meningeal lesions may be
appreciated with the use of CT
scan
➔ Treatment
● No antihelminthic treatment is
recommended at present, however
MEBENDAZOLE and
ALBENDAZOLE have been
demonstrated to effectively treat
the disease in China, Taiwan, and
Thailand
● Ocular disease may require
surgical removal of the worms
from the eyes
➔ Pathogenicity: ● Symptomatic treatment with the
● Incubation period is usually 6 to 15 use of analgesics and lumbar
days, but may vary from 12 to 47 puncture can relieve the
days headaches experienced by the
● Chief complaint: acute, severe patient
intermittent occipital or bitemporal
headache (it's because of the
migration of the parasite to the
brain causing inflammation around
the meningalining of the brain,
sometimes they could migrate to
the lungs or eyes)
● Inter-ocular hemorrhage and
retinal detachment are some
known associated complications
(if they migrate to the eye )
➔ Diagnosis:
● Diagnosis is difficult as the primary
site of infection is the brain
● Eosinophilia in the blood may
comprise 7 to 36% of the WBC
count; 90% eosinophilia in the
CSF (>10% eosinophilia in
proportion of WBC will exclude
other common causes of
meningitis)
● Larvae and young adult worms
may be seen in the CSF
● Histologic identification of the
adult female worm
● Serologic techniques
(Picture of a Wuchereria bancrofti on the left,
Brugia malayi on right)
(on the left pic the cephalic space on top its short
and the nuclei of the parasite its much more
cleaner and organized compared to the right the
tail tapers a point with no nuclei present. The one
in the right the head space is the one u see in the
7 oclock position of the pic the nuclei are
disorganized and the tail tapers to two nuclei
connected to a fine thread)

36
(When the worms enter the lymphatic system or
(The parasites can lead to lymphedema
the peripheral circulation they can cause
[abnormal swelling in the lymph tissues in the
deactivation of immunologic response, they can
arms, legs, breasts and even the genitals.] The
both active the humoral and cell mediated
parasite can also cause elephantiasis [disfiguring
response, when the larva or the adult worm when
or disabling of the lymphedema of the limbs
they reach the lymphatic system they most often
breast, genitals, legs and arms with
cause obstruction and when they die they can
accompanying marked thickening of the skin] )
elicit a more severe reaction and eventually they
can cause classification which can lead to a
➔ Diagnosis
obstruction, most patients would present acute
● Good clinical history
perllarial disease (acute attacks) where in they
○ Recurrent febrile episodes
would tell you they are experiencing pain,
associated with pain,
swelling, tenderness in the affected areas would
tenderness and swelling of
include the limbs, genitals, or even the breasts.
limb, genitals or breasts
These attacks may or may not have fever, in
○ History of
males it can cause epididimo bronchitis
exposure-prolonged stay in
(inflammation of the epididymis in the scrotum)
endemic area
● Identification of microfilariae
through microscopic examination
is the most practical diagnostic
procedure
● It is important to time the blood
collection with the known
periodicity of the microfilariae (the
parasites work more at night so its
better to collect them at night)
➔ Specimens
● Blood
 ○ Identify microfilariae of
Wuchereria bancrofti,
Brugia malayi
● Wet smear
○ Thick smear (giemsa or
Hematoxylin and Eosin)
● Concentration or filtration
techniques - for increased
sensitivity
○ Knott’s technique
○ Filtration through a
Nucleopore membrane
(These are the adult worms of Schistosoma
japonicum they have a separate sexis for males
Trematodes
and females. The female is the one in the
● Schistosoma japonicum
“spaghetti looking thing” that is bent all over, the
● Paragonimus westermani
thicker structure is the male. The males are
shooter but more stouter and they have a
Schistosoma japonicum
gynaecophoric canal, it is the canal where the
● C.N.: Oriental Blood Fluke
females are lodge that is why they are called
● G.D: in the Phil. = Leyte, Samar,
eternal honeymooners because the females are
Mindanao, Mindoro and
attached to the male. The female's muscular
southwestern Luzon
pharynx is absent and intestinal are united to
● Symptoms of Schistosomiasis:
form a single cycom.)
○ Profuse dysentery,
Enlarged liver and spleen
○ Recurrent daily fever, Loss
of appetite and loss of
weight
○ Epigastric pain and
tenderness, Anemia

Diagnosis:
● Specific - Recovery of eggs from
feces
○ Direct examination
(it is oval to rounded shape with a short lateral ○ Concentration method =
tubercle, the arrow points the short lateral Formalin Ether Conc. Meth.
tubercle) ○ Proctoscopic aspiration
and biopsy (Valve of
houston)
38
 ● Serologi crests (using adult and
cercarial antigens)
○ Complement fixation with
adult Ag ( CFA)
○ Complement fixation with
carcarial Ag (CFC)
○ Slide flocculation with
cercarial Ag (SFC)
○ Cercarial agglutination (CA)
○ Circumoval precipitin
(COPT)
● Intracutaneous test (skin test) -
utilize adult and larval Ag
● WBC and Differential count

Paragonimus westermani
● C.N. = Oriental Lung Fluke
● Dss.= Paragonimiasis, Pulmonary
Distomiasis, Or Endemic
Hemoptysis
● G.D. = Worldwide; Phil. - Leyte,
Samar, Mindanao (Cotabato),
Sorsogon and Camarines
● In heavy infection: ectopic foci
(mesentery, pleura =, brain and
liver)
● Symptoms:
○ Pulmonary condition =
resemble pulmonary TB;
caught and Hemoptysis
○ Abdominal type =
abdominal pains and
diarrhea
○ In the Brain = associated
with Epilepsy
● Chest X - Ray findings = not
DEfinitive but give ideas as to the
extent and progress of the
(The adult can either be egg shaped, thick fleshy disease.
or even sometimes coffee bean shaped, the oral
sucker at the tip the ventral sucker is at the Cestodes
middle of the parasite. It is hermaphroditic [it has ● Taenia solium
both male and female reproductive structure]. ● Taenia saginata
The ovum on the right has an ovodal and a flat
tuberculoma the shoulder looking structure. They Taenia solium
are thicken at the posterior end and they are ● Synonym: pork tapeworm; Armed
golden brown in color) tapeworm of Man
 ● Dis: taeniasis or Pork tapeworm infection
is common among those eating raw or
insufficiently cooked “measly pork”
● GD: cosmopolitan, prevalent in countries
where raw or insufficiently cooked pork is
consumed
between left and right side. The gravid proglottid
the uterus is distended, it is the midline structure
by which there are 7 to 13 lateral branches on
each sides. One segments contains at least
40,000 eggs and the terminal gravid segment
would separated from the parasite in groups of 5
or 6, these can be passed out in the stool or
move them selves out of the anus, they are
inactive and flabby but they do not creep)

(This is the larva of Taenia solium found in pigs

and man, they are approximately 10 by 5 mm in
size and they are filled with fluid, with vaginal
scolex and suckers and hooks)

(Adult Taenia solium worm the scolex is the head

of the worm, it is globular in shape and it is
outlined with four cup or circle shaped suckers it
is used by the organism to attach itself in the
intestines of the human. It has a low cushion
rustom armed with a double crown hooks that is
approximately 25 to 30)

(these are Taenia solium ovum, they are spherical

with a hexican embryo, they are pale yellow or
dark brown in color, and they appear striated.
The eggs are released by rupture before or after
leaving the host)

(The mature segment are almost nearly square in

shape and each of the proglottids contains single
set of reproductive organs meaning each
segments contains one set of male and female
reproductive organs, the circular structures are
the parasites ovary. Looking at the lateral side of
each segment you can see a protruding structure
that is the genital por, it alternates irregularly

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 (Taenia saginata scolex looks like, does not have
hooklets, it only has a white semi transparent a
grossly however it was stained in red thats why
its looks like this. It measures up to 4 to 10
meters and sometimes up to 25 meters. The
proglottids can reach to 1000 to 2000 proglottids.
The scolex is up to 1 to 2 mm, it is quadrant and
4 hemi spherical suckers at the four angles of the
head, no rostelum and no hooks.)

Laboratory diagnosis:
● Recovery of gravid proglottid (uterine
branches) in feces recovery of ova in
feces (cannot be differentiated from T.
saginata)
● Recovery of scolex after therapy
● For cysticercosis:
○ History of taeniasis
(These are the Mature segments and the Gravid
○ Biopsy of SC nodules (invaginated
segments, for the mature segments it can have
scolex with 4 suckers and and t.
both male and female reproductive structures
Circles of hooklets)
where the two lobes are the ovaries, the mature
● X-ray, CT scan of brain Skin test Precipitin
segments looks similar to the Taenia solium. The
test, C-F test
gravid segment the distal fit of the worm is
narrower and longer than the prod, the uterus has
Taenia saginata
15 to 20 lateral branches, they can have
● Beef tapeworm; “Unarmed Tapeworm of
independent movement and force their way to
Man”
the anus sphincter.
● Disease: Taeniasis saginata, beef
tapeworm
● Infection
● GD: cosmopolitan, prevalent in countries
● Where raw beef is eaten
(this is the larva of the Taenia saginata swifty
circus bovis this is usually found in kettles and
they are ovodale in shape and they are fluid filled
and one vaginated colex with four suckers and
no hooklets. The ovum looks similar to the Taenia
solium and has similar life cycles but instead of
pigs its kettles.)

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