Taeniasis is a form of tapeworm infection

Tapeworm infection

Tapeworm infestation is the infection of the digestive tract by adult parasitic flatworms called cestodes or tapeworms. Live tapeworm larvae are sometimes ingested by consuming undercooked food. Once inside the digestive tract, a larva can grow into a very large adult tapeworm. Additionally,...

 which is caused by tapeworms of the genius Taenia

Taenia (tapeworm)

Taenia is a genus of tapeworm that includes some important parasites of livestock. Members of the genus are responsible for taeniasis and cysticercosis in humans. There are more than 100 species recorded...

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The two most important human pathogens in the genus are Taenia solium (the pork tapeworm) and Taenia saginata

Taenia saginata

Taenia saginata, also known as Taeniarhynchus saginata or the beef tapeworm, is a parasite of both cattle and humans, causing taeniasis in humans. Taenia saginata occurs where cattle are raised by infected humans maintaining poor hygiene, human feces are improperly disposed of, meat inspection...

(the beef tapeworm). Infection is acquired by eating undercooked contaminated meat. The adult worms live in the lumen

Lumen

Lumen can mean:* Lumen , the SI unit of luminous flux* Lumen , the cavity or channel within a tubular structure* Thylakoid lumen, the inner membrane space of the chloroplast* Phenobarbital...

of the intestine where it causes very few symptoms. Taeniasis is generally asymptomatic and is diagnosed when a portion of the worm is passed in the stool. Oral antiparasitic drugs are the treatment of choice.

External links

• http://www.stanford.edu/class/humbio103/ParaSites2004/Taeniasis/index.htm
• http://www.who.int/zoonoses/diseases/taeniasis/en/