Tapeworms

Definition

Tapeworms are parasitic flatworms that live in the intestines of their hosts, including humans. They absorb nutrients through their skin and can cause significant digestive system infections.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Tapeworms belong to the class Cestoda within the phylum Platyhelminthes.
2. Humans can become infected with tapeworms by ingesting undercooked or contaminated meat.
3. Symptoms of a tapeworm infection can include abdominal pain, weight loss, and malnutrition.
4. The most common species affecting humans include Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm), Taenia solium (pork tapeworm), and Diphyllobothrium latum (fish tapeworm).
5. Diagnosis of a tapeworm infection is typically made by identifying eggs or segments of the worm in stool samples.

Review Questions

Related terms

Cysticercosis:

A tissue infection caused by larval cysts of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium.

Scolex:

The head region of a tapeworm that contains suckers and hooks for attachment to the host's intestinal wall.

Proglottid:

A segment of a tapeworm containing both male and female reproductive organs, which can break off and be passed in stool.