Taenia
Solium is another term for pork tapeworm. This type of tapeworm
has been infecting animals and humans for hundreds of years, and
it has been recognized as one of the earliest human parasites. A
person becomes infected with Taenia solium when they eat raw or
undercooked pork. When the food begins to digest in the body, the
Taenia solium breaks off and attaches itself to the small intestine
of its host. Once there it will take 5 to 12 weeks to mature into
adulthood where it can survive for 25 years or more.
When a person is infected with Taenia solium they won’t experience
overwhelming pain or discomfort, but they can have episodes of diarrhea,
constipation, and indigestion. Still there have been instances where
segments of the Taenia solium will crawl out of the sufferer’s
anus.
The
life cycle of Taenia solium begins when a human passes the eggs
and egg segments from the mature tapeworm in their bodies through
their feces. A pig will then become the next host when it ingests
food that’s been contaminated with the feces. Once a human
eats that pig’s undercooked or raw meat, he or she will become
infected with the Taenia solium. The parasite will use its scolex
(hooks) to attach itself to the human’s small intestine until
it matures. Once it matures it will begin releasing eggs and gravid
proglottids (segments of its body) through the human’s feces,
thus beginning the process all over again.
In
order to prevent becoming infected with Taenia solium, you should
make sure your pork meat is well cooked. Don’t eat raw pork
meat. If you think you’ve already been infected, consult your
doctor immediately. Treatment is fast and simple with the ingestion
of an anthelmintic drug.
