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Research suggests that humans may get tapeworms from eating undercooked beef or pork, as well as contaminated water or fish. After you ingest the tapeworm egg or larvae, it may latch onto your intestines. Experts say that symptoms are usually mild or go unnoticed, so you might not even realize you're infected. [1] X Trustworthy Source World Health Organization Health information and news provided by the World Health Organization Go to source However, you may develop symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, lack of appetite, dizziness, salt cravings, weakness, and weight loss. Try not to worry about tape worms, but visit your doctor if you think you might have one.
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Evaluate your surroundings, as well as any recent travel. Tapeworms exist worldwide, but infection rates vary widely between countries. While more than 10 million people are infected each year, [2] X Trustworthy Source World Health Organization Health information and news provided by the World Health Organization Go to source less than 1,000 cases are estimated to occur annually in the United States. [3] X Trustworthy Source World Health Organization Health information and news provided by the World Health Organization Go to source Different species of tapeworms reside in different species of animals.
- Pork and beef tapeworms are most commonly found in developing areas of the world such as Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America, and especially where free-ranging pigs are common. [4] X Trustworthy Source World Health Organization Health information and news provided by the World Health Organization Go to source
- Beef tapeworms are also more common in areas such as Eastern Europe, Russia, Eastern Africa, and Latin America where raw beef is sometimes consumed. [5] X Research source
- Fish tapeworms are more common in areas where people eat raw fish, including Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, and Japan. [6] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source
- Dwarf tapeworms are transmitted between humans, especially among children, in regions where sanitation is poor, or where humans are living in dense conditions. [7] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
- Dog tapeworms occasionally find human hosts. [8] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
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Review your recent diet. Infections typically occur following consumption of raw or undercooked meat from an infected animal. Tapeworms can also be transmitted through meat that has been prepared by an infected individual. [9] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
- Have you consumed any raw or undercooked meat?
- Have you been to an area where food is being prepared in unsanitary conditions?
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Examine your feces. Excreted tapeworm segments are the most noticeable indicator of a tapeworm infection. [10] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source These segments look like small grains of white rice. You may see excreted sections on toilet paper or in your underwear. [11] X Research source
- Tapeworm segments will not begin to appear in the stool until two to three months after an adult tapeworm has established itself in your body. [12] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
- Stool samples may have to be examined on more than one occasion to find tapeworm segments. [13] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
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Evaluate whether you have additional symptoms of tapeworm infection. Common symptoms include digestive problems such as abdominal pain, weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss, diarrhea, and nausea. However, these symptoms can indicate many other possible conditions. Remember, too, that a tapeworm infection may not cause any symptoms. [14] X Trustworthy Source World Health Organization Health information and news provided by the World Health Organization Go to source
- While uncommon, tapeworm infection can also cause the following serious symptoms: fever; cystic masses or lumps; allergic reactions to tapeworm larvae; bacterial infections; or neurological signs and symptoms, including seizures. These symptoms sometimes develop when infections are left untreated, so it's important to seek treatment even for less serious symptoms.
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Visit your physician. In order to properly diagnose a tapeworm infection, your doctor will need to administer a stool sample analysis. This will help to rule out or determine the type of tapeworm and will determine the proper medicine(s). [15] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
- In addition to determining if you have a tapeworm, stool analysis can identify a variety of digestive problems, including infection, nutritional deficiencies, and cancer. [16] X Research source
- A blood test may also be able to identify antibodies in the blood of a person who has been infected by a tapeworm. [17] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source
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Receive a prescription from your physician. After your doctor or physician has diagnosed you with a tapeworm infection, he or she will prescribe an oral medication. Tapeworms are treated with three common prescriptions: praziquantel, albendazole, and nitazoxanide. The variety your doctor prescribes will depend upon the type of infection you have contracted. [18] X Research source
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Follow the prescribed regimen. In addition to properly taking your medication, it is important to avoid reinfecting yourself (or infecting others). Tapeworm medications do not affect the parasites' eggs, so you can reintroduce the infection if you neglect good bathroom and kitchen hygiene. [19] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source
- If more serious infection such as cysticercosis is involved, your doctor may recommend a longer and more involved treatment regimen. Treatment may include prescription drugs, anti-inflammatory, and anti-epileptic therapy, or surgery. [20] X Research source
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Confirm that the infection is gone. Your physician will want to re-evaluate you after you have been taking your medication for some time. Depending on the severity of the infection, this can be anywhere from one to three months after you begin treatment.
- Prescription medication is 85 to 100 percent effective. Effectiveness depends on the type of tapeworm and the location of the infection. [21] X Research source
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Avoid raw meat. Many different species that humans eat carry tapeworms, including cattle, pigs, fish, sheep, goats, and rabbits. Eliminating raw or undercooked meat from your diet is the easiest way to avoid infection. [22] X Research source
- Note that poultry tapeworms do exist, but are not common in modern farming facilities because they require an intermediate insect host such as an earthworm or beetle.
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Cook meat properly. When cooking whole cuts of meat such as steaks or chops, be sure that the internal temperature of the meat reaches at least 145 °F (63 °C). Ground meat should be cooked to an internal temperatures of 160 °F (71 °C). [23] X Trustworthy Source FoodSafety.gov Online portal combining food safety information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Food Safety and Inspection Service, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Go to source
- Freezing meat and fish at a temperature below 14 °F ( -10 °C) for at least 48 hours will also kill tapeworm eggs and larvae. [24] X Research source
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Disinfect fruit and vegetables when traveling in areas where tapeworms are more common. Chemical solutions can be purchased to sanitize fruit and vegetables, or you can simply wash them thoroughly with safe (boiled) water. [25] X Research source
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Wash your hands properly before preparing and eating food, and after handling raw meat or fish. This will make sure that any eggs or larvae on your hands are not transferred into your food or digestive system. You'll also avoid infecting other people. [26] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
- Make sure to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. Try humming either the alphabet song or "Happy Birthday to You" twice to ensure you're washing for an adequate length of time.
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References
- ↑ https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/taeniasis-cysticercosis
- ↑ https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/taeniasis-cysticercosis
- ↑ https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/taeniasis-cysticercosis
- ↑ https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/taeniasis-cysticercosis
- ↑ https://www.msdmanuals.com/professional/infectious-diseases/cestodes-tapeworms/taenia-saginata-beef-tapeworm-infection
- ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001375.htm
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/dipylidium/index.html
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Tapeworm-infections/Pages/Causes.aspx
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23534-cysticercosis
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/taeniasis/gen_info/faqs.html
- ↑ https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/786292-clinical#showall
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/taeniasis/hcp/clinical-overview/
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/taeniasis/diagnosis.html
- ↑ https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/taeniasis-cysticercosis
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/worms-in-humans/
- ↑ https://myhealth.alberta.ca/health/Pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=aa80714
- ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001375.htm
- ↑ https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/infections/parasitic-infections-cestodes-tapeworms/tapeworm-infection
- ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001391.htm
- ↑ https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/infections/parasitic-infections-cestodes-tapeworms/tapeworm-infection
- ↑ https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/786292-treatment
- ↑ https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/786292-overview#a6
- ↑ https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-cooking-temperature
- ↑ https://www.woah.org/en/disease/trichinellosis/
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/tapeworm.html
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/worms-in-humans/
About This Article
Article Summary
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If you need to get rid of tapeworms in a person, visit a doctor for a prescription right away. The medication will remove adult tapeworms, but it will not affect the eggs, so you’ll need to take precautions to prevent re-infection. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water several times a day, especially before you cook or after you use the bathroom. Also, do not eat raw meat, since that can be a source of tapeworms. Keep reading for more advice from our medical reviewer on how to prevent tapeworms!
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Reader Success Stories
- "I've been treated by doctors that haven't mentioned parasites. The article opened up unlimited resources. 12 steps, a new word cysticercosis, and three meds were major help. Cysts info egg and larvae effects of heat and cold along with traveling cysts is welcomed knowledge since USA health simply hides parasites in medical treatment letting deaths occur with a missed diagnosis." ..." more
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"I've been treated by doctors that haven't mentioned parasites. The article opened up unlimited resources. 12 steps, a new word cysticercosis, and three meds were major help. Cysts info egg and larvae effects of heat and cold along with traveling cysts is welcomed knowledge since USA health simply hides parasites in medical treatment letting deaths occur with a missed diagnosis."
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"I did not know you could sterilize food under hot water. In England we are told to do it with cold water. Taking a stool sample is not required in England, you tell the doctors and they give you one of two medicines. This was clear and easy to understand."
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"I believe that most people think that you can only get tape worms from eating raw or under-cooked pork. It was very informative to know that you can get these parasites from raw or under-cooked fish and beef also. Glad I eat my beef/fish well done."
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"I have never had tapeworms, and hope I never do, but I am over-the-top as far as washing my hands before I handle any food . I do like my steak to be mostly well done, but a little pink inside."
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"It explain to me why I have cysts in eyes, pictures of tapeworms helped. The doctors keep saying I'm lying, and I want people to know I have parasites. "
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