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Teniasis: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
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Teniosis (Latin name - taeniosis; English - taeniasis) is a biohelminthiasis caused by the parasitism of the pork tapeworm in the human intestine and manifested by a disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.
ICD-10 code
B68.0. Taenia solium infestation.
Epidemiology of taeniasis
The source of taeniasis is a person who, being affected by taeniasis, releases oncospheres into the environment along with their excrements. This leads to infection of intermediate hosts (pigs) with taeniasis. People become infected with taeniasis by eating raw or insufficiently thermally processed taeniasis pork. Taeniasis is registered in countries where pig farming is developed.
What causes taeniasis?
Taeniasis is caused by Taenia solium, a tapeworm (pork tapeworm), type Plathebninthes, class Cestoda, family Taeniidae. The helminth has a flat ribbon-shaped body, on the spherical scolex there are four suckers and a proboscis with two rows of alternating short and long chitinous hooks (22-23 in total). The length of an adult helminth reaches 3-4 m. The pork tapeworm differs from the bovine tapeworm in a smaller number of segments (800-1000), their size (length 12-15 mm, diameter 6-7 mm) and a smaller number of lateral branches of the uterus in a mature segment (7-12 pairs). The segments do not have active mobility. Each of them contains 30,000-50,000 eggs. The uterus does not have an outlet. Oncospheres of pork and bovine tapeworms are morphologically indistinguishable.
The final host is a human, in whose intestines the sexually mature form of the helminth parasitizes. In the body of the intermediate host - a pig (wild pigs, dogs, cats, and sometimes humans can be optional hosts), the embryo is released from the egg, penetrates the intestinal wall and is carried throughout the body by the bloodstream. After 60-70 days, the embryo turns into a cysticercus (Cysticercus cellulosae) - finns reaching 5-8 mm in diameter, and 1.5 cm in the parenchymatous organs. Cysticercus remain viable for up to five years.
Pathogenesis of taeniasis
In uncomplicated intestinal taeniasis, the pathogenesis is based on the same factors as in taeniarhynchosis. However, when mature segments are thrown from the intestine into the stomach due to antiperistaltic contractions, autoinvasion by oncospheres is possible. In this case, taeniasis can be complicated by the development of cysticercosis of the brain, skeletal muscles, and eyes.
Symptoms of taeniasis
The symptoms of taeniasis are similar to those of taeniarhynchosis. With taeniasis, dyspeptic and asthenoneurotic manifestations are relatively often recorded: loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, bowel disorder, headaches, dizziness, sleep disturbance, short-term fainting states.
Complications of taeniasis are rare. The following diseases are possible: intestinal obstruction, intestinal perforation, appendicitis, cholangitis, pancreatitis, cysticercosis. The course of taeniasis is benign.
Diagnosis of taeniasis
Diagnosis of taeniasis is based on the patient's indications of the passage of segments or small fragments of the helminth strobilus during defecation. To confirm the diagnosis and differentiate taeniasis from taeniarhynchosis, it is necessary to conduct a microscopic examination of the segments excreted by the patient, especially since the oncospheres of pork and bovine tapeworms are morphologically indistinguishable from each other.
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Differential diagnosis of taeniasis
Differential diagnostics of taeniasis is carried out with other intestinal helminthiases, primarily with taeniasis.
Indications for consultation with other specialists
If abdominal pain occurs, a surgeon's consultation is indicated to rule out abdominal complications. To rule out cysticercosis in case of visual impairment, an ophthalmologist's consultation is necessary; if neurological symptoms appear, a neurologist's consultation is necessary.
Example of diagnosis formulation
Teniosis, uncomplicated course.
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What do need to examine?
What tests are needed?
Treatment of taeniasis
Treatment of taeniasis is carried out in hospital with niclosamide: 2 g are taken at night, thoroughly chewed and washed down with water. 15 minutes before taking it is recommended to drink 1-2 g of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). The drug is highly effective, causes the death of the scolex and immature segments. Currently, praziquantel is often used, which is prescribed once at a dose of 15 mg / kg to patients of all age groups. Both drugs are characterized by good tolerance, side effects are mild (sometimes nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea occur).
In uncomplicated cases, working capacity is not impaired.
Further management
Teniosis does not require medical examination. 1-3 months after treatment, a control study of feces for the presence of helminth segments is necessary.
How to prevent taeniasis?
Taeniasis can be prevented by identifying and treating patients, providing health education to the population, improving populated areas, sanitary supervision of the keeping and slaughter of pigs, and veterinary control of meat.