Health information

QUESTION: I would like some information about a tapeworm disease that can be
caught from improper cooking of meat from infected pigs
This problem has
recently affected a member of our family and we all need this explanation
Is
there any treatment available?

ANSWER: A complication of human infestation of T
solim, the pork tapeworm,
is cysticercosis
Tapeworms are more common in this country than most people
realize, and many people are not even aware of the deadly nature of
cysticercosis
If a person eats undercooked pork that has a larval form of
the tapeworm in it, he or she is essentially swallowing an undeveloped
circular form or “cyst” of the tapeworm, whose head is wrapped up way inside
the cyst
The human digestive process unravels or unsheathes the tapeworm
head, which, when free and uncovered, attaches itself to the lining of the
human intestine by means of hooks and suckers
Segment by segment, the worm
proliferates, sometimes becoming several feet long
The new segments or eggs
can detach and are then passed out in the stool
If a person makes
hand-to-mouth contact and by chance had previously contaminated his or her
hand by contact with the feces, the tapeworm eggs are again ingested
The
hatched embryos migrate throughout the host, invading skeletal muscle, eye
tissue or the central nervous system, and even the brain
Usually,
cysticercosis develops when the eggs rather than the larvae are swallowed.
Epilepsy and severe headaches are some of the symptoms that appear after the
cysts have invaded critical areas
The liver, lung, peritoneum, and
underlying skin tissues can also be greatly damaged
Surgical removal of the
cysts may be necessary
Cysticercosis should always be considered when a
person discovers a problem of tapeworms, because the diagnosis and treatment
is difficult
As treatment either niclosamide or praziquantal can be used.
This kills the tapeworm, which is usually digested by the time it is passed.
Stools should then be rechecked at 3 and 6 months to be sure that a cure has
been achieved
And just to keep the record straight, another common disease
from uncooked or poorly cooked pork is trichinosis, where the culprit is a
roundworm called T
spiralis
But that is a tale of another worm.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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