Due to the habit of consuming raw meat, it is the most common tapeworm in Europe. Contamination of the environment by sewage also contributes to contamination.
The larval forms of this tapeworm develop only in cattle, and the host of adults is humans. Tapeworm uterine members, each containing approx. 100 thousand. eggs each, actively crawl through the anus. In this form, they can contaminate the soil in which they can stay for over a year. This form, however, is only contagious to cattle that transform into blackhead. It is he who, when eaten along with meat, leads to invasions in humans.
Symptoms of tapeworms can vary greatly, but they mostly affect the gastrointestinal tract. These include a reduction in the secretion of digestive enzymes and digestive disorders, epigastric pain, nausea, changes in appetite, weight loss. Additionally, there may be diarrhea or constipation, weakness, and sleep disturbances. Exceptionally, tapeworm disease can cause inflammation of the appendix or bile ducts.
The diagnosis of the disease is based and it is easiest when you can observe the excreted tapeworms in the stool, but it occurs only after approx. 3 months of invasion. The eggs of this worm are found in stool or rectal swabs, usually by accident. A test for the presence of specific tapeworm antigens in the stool can also be performed.
The treatment of tapeworms usually consists of a single administration of praziquantel or niclosamide, and the effectiveness of such therapy is up to 95%. The effectiveness of the therapy is determined by the lack of excretion of tapeworm members for 4 consecutive months.