Contents
In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
The armed tapeworm is a parasite that lives in the human body (and other vertebrates) and is one of the two main species of tapeworm. It is structured a bit differently than the unarmed tapeworm, because it additionally contains hooks, thanks to which its existence on the intestinal walls is much easier.
What is an armed tapeworm?
The armed tapeworm is a parasite that lives in the body of humans and other vertebrates and is one of the two main species of tapeworms. Its structure differs from that of the unarmed tapeworm, as it has special hooks that allow it to easily attach to the wall of the small intestine. The armed tapeworm is very long, which makes it look like an ordinary ribbon. It is a dangerous parasite for which man is primarily the ultimate host. Where did the name for this type of tapeworm come from? It is related to the head of the parasite, which is armed with a double ring of suction cups and hooks. The tapeworm is usually about 4 meters long.
Development of armed tapeworm
The armed tapeworm develops similarly to the unarmed one, with the difference that the final intermediate host of the armed tapeworm is a pig and its larva (the tapeworm then develops in the digestive tract of the animal, then tears the intestinal wall and, together with the blood, enters the muscles in which it nests as a blackhead larva). Therefore, this type of tapeworm is most often infected when a person eats undercooked pork from a sick pig. In turn, man is the final host and the gut is the final target of the tapeworm. The larvae that get into the human stomach can reach the blood vessels, and through them reach the brain or eyeballs – such situations are extremely dangerous. Mature tapeworms containing the fertilized eggs are removed together with the faeces to the outside of the host.
If a parasite infection is suspected, we can perform a mail-order quantitative test of eosinophilic protein X. Its presence in the stool suggests that the body has started a defense response against the parasites.
The causes of the armed tapeworm
Usually a person becomes infected tapeworm blackheads, when he eats raw or undercooked pork. Then, in the digestive tract of the human (the final host), the cover of the blackhead is digested. After that, the head of the tapeworm that has broken attaches itself to the intestines and begins to develop, and after about two months it transforms into a mature tapeworm in the small intestine.
Moreover, man can be an intermediate host. Then the tapeworm eggs in the environment get into the human stomach through “dirty hands”. Other sources of contamination can be dirty / unwashed fruit, vegetables or vegetables.
It can also lead to autoinvasion, i.e. self-infection with mature tapeworm eggs. This is the case when you are already a carrier and when you vomit, pieces of tapeworm containing eggs enter the stomach.
Important! Infection with armed tapeworm eggs is called cysticercosis and is a very dangerous disease. Therefore, if you suspect the presence of a tapeworm, consult your doctor as soon as possible. Such consultation can now take place remotely under the NFZ insurance via the halodoctor.pl portal.
Symptoms of armed tapeworm
Symptoms of the presence of armed tapeworm are:
- weakness,
- stomach pain,
- vomiting,
- nausea,
- weight reduction,
- lack of appetite
- apathy,
- excessive excitability,
- diarrhea,
- constipation
- avitaminosis – vitamin deficiency in the body or their complete absence.
If the parasite has spread to organs other than the gastrointestinal tract, the symptoms of its existence will depend on its location. So you can cysticercosis brain meet:
- troublesome headaches,
- epilepsy and other symptoms of brain tumors,
- trouble seeing
- eye deformities (if tapeworm cysts are located in the eyeball),
- hypereosinophilia.
If you have tapeworms or other parasites in your body, start drinking Worms regularly, a herbal blend to help fight parasites.
Cysticosis of the nervous system
Cysticercosis occurs when armed tapeworm attacks attack skeletal muscles, the eye, the brain or the heart. The developing and growing blackheads lead to various symptoms such as muscle wasting, blindness or chronic headache. The most dangerous, however, is the placement of the tapeworm larva in the brain, which, by putting pressure on it, can cause epilepsy-like symptoms. The incubation period of cysticercosis may last up to several years, and its most typical symptoms are:
- vomiting,
- headaches,
- seizures
- mental / emotional disorders,
- amnesia,
- hallucinations,
- slowing down
- dementia.
Diagnosis of armed tapeworm
In order to obtain a final diagnosis, it is necessary to perform appropriate tests, including tests of faeces for the presence of tapeworms. In addition, microscopic examination of the head and members of the tapeworm is useful to help determine its type.
The Valida test is a series of diagnostic tests that can detect the presence of parasites in the stool. The sample can be taken at home and the result is available within 10 working days. You can buy Valida intestinal microflora tests on Medonet Market.
Armed tapeworm – treatment
Treatment of armed tapeworm is necessary and should only be carried out under the supervision of a physician. Parasites present in the intestines are removed with special drugs, if their location is different, surgical treatment may be necessary.
As an aid in the fight against parasites, you can drink wild garlic teas. Buy now at Medonet Marekt EKO bear garlic – a spice that can be used in everyday food preparation.
Prevention of infection by armed tapeworm consists in:
- thorough examination of pork meat and complete elimination of carcasses with blackheads;
- compliance with the appropriate sanitary level on farms, especially in rural areas and where pigs are kept, and the basic rules of personal and veterinary hygiene;
- avoiding raw meat products from wild or domestic pigs.
In order to help yourself get rid of the tapeworm, it is worth additionally using Na parasites – the Panaseus dietary supplement, which you can buy at Medonet Market.