Many people believe that tapeworm or tapeworm infection affects cats and dogs. Although these animals are particularly susceptible to it, in reality humans can also get sick by eating raw food or undercooked beef, pork or fish. Infected people can spread this parasite if they don't wash their hands thoroughly after defecating and before preparing meals. In most cases, tapeworm-infested people experience few symptoms. However, it is important to treat the disorder because the infection can lead to more serious health problems, such as cysticercosis, a tissue infection that causes seizures.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Diagnosis
Step 1. Assess your surroundings, as well as recent trips
The tapeworm is present everywhere, but the incidence of infection varies in different countries. Although more than 10 million people are affected by this parasite each year, there are actually fewer than 1000 cases per year in the United States alone. Different animal species are home to different types of tapeworms.
- The pig and cattle tapeworm occurs most often in developing geographic areas, such as Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, Central and South America, in particular where pigs are raised outdoors.
- Beef tapeworm is also quite common in areas such as Eastern Europe, Russia, East Africa and Latin America, where beef is sometimes eaten raw.
- The parasite in fish is more common in areas where people eat raw fish, such as Eastern Europe, Scandinavia and Japan.
- The dwarf tapeworm (Hymenolepis nana) spreads among humans, especially in children, in those regions that are overcrowded or where hygienic conditions are very bad.
- Dog tapeworms sometimes spread to people.
Step 2. Think about what you have recently eaten
Infection usually occurs after eating raw or undercooked meat from an infected animal, but it can also be passed on to those who eat meat cooked by a sick person.
- Try to remember if you ate raw or undercooked meat.
- Evaluate if you have been to areas where food is prepared in unsanitary conditions.
Step 3. Examine the stool
The main sign of tapeworm infection is the presence of tapeworm segments that are expelled during evacuation. These are similar to small white rice grains; you may notice them on toilet paper or underwear.
- Segments of tapeworms begin to appear in stool only two to three months after the parasite has established itself in the host.
- It may be necessary to have stool samples analyzed on multiple occasions to check for these pieces of tapeworm.
Step 4. Look for other symptoms of infection
Among the most common are digestive tract problems, such as abdominal pain, weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss, diarrhea and nausea. However, these are symptoms that could indicate other possible diseases as well. Also remember that many infected people are completely asymptomatic.
Although rarely, the presence of the parasite can cause the following serious symptoms: fever, cystic mass or lump, allergic reactions to the larvae, bacterial infections, neurological signs or symptoms, including seizures. These are symptoms that can develop when the infection is not treated properly, so it is important to seek medical attention, regardless of the severity of the symptoms
Step 5. See your doctor
To get an appropriate diagnosis, your doctor will likely have a stool sample analyzed. This allows him to rule out the infestation or to define the type of tapeworm and it will be possible to find the drug treatment suitable for the specific type of infection.
- In addition to determining the presence of the tapeworm, stool analysis also allows you to identify various digestive problems, such as infections, nutritional deficiencies and cancer.
- The blood test also allows to identify the antibodies produced by the body as a reaction to the infestation.
Part 2 of 3: Treatments
Step 1. Get a prescription
Once your doctor diagnoses the infection, he will prescribe medicines to take by mouth. Tapeworms are generally treated with three different types of drugs: praziquantel, albendazole and nitazoxanide. The medicine you will be prescribed depends on the type of tapeworm that has infested you.
Step 2. Stick to the established drug regimen
In addition to taking medications regularly and correctly, you also need to be careful not to get infected a second time (or spread the disease to others). Tapeworm drugs don't affect parasite eggs, so you may still get sick if you don't follow good hygiene practices in the kitchen and bathroom.
If you have a more serious infection, such as cysticercosis, your doctor will give you a longer and more demanding treatment, which may include prescription drugs, anti-inflammatories, anti-epileptic therapy, or even surgery
Step 3. Make sure the infection has been cleared
After you have taken the medications for the time it takes to complete the treatment, your doctor will want to see you a second time. Depending on the severity of the infection, a follow-up visit may be required within 1-3 months of starting treatment.
Prescription drugs are decisive in 85-100% of cases; the effectiveness depends above all on the type of tapeworm and on the location of the infection
Part 3 of 3: Prevention
Step 1. Don't eat raw meat
The various animal species that humans eat, such as cattle, pigs, fish, sheep, goats, and rabbits, can host the tapeworm. If you cut raw or undercooked meat from your diet, you are more likely not to get sick.
Keep in mind that there is also the poultry tapeworm, but it is not very common in modern farms, because the transmission of the parasite occurs through a host insect, such as the earthworm or the beetle
Step 2. Cook the meat properly
When cooking whole cuts of meat, such as steaks or chops, make sure that the internal temperature reaches at least 63 ° C; minced meat must be cooked to an internal temperature of 71 ° C.
Freeze the meat and fish at a temperature below -10 ° C for at least 48 hours, so the eggs and larvae of the tapeworm die
Step 3. Disinfect fruits and vegetables when traveling to geographic areas where this pest is quite common
You can purchase chemical sanitizing solutions to thoroughly clean these foods or you can simply wash them using safe, pre-boiled water.
Step 4. Wash your hands thoroughly before preparing and eating food, as well as after handling raw meat or fish
This way, you can be sure that tapeworm eggs and larvae do not move from food to the digestive system, as well as not spread the infection to other people.
