Question

Discuss human acquisition of the pork tapeworm. Be sure to include in your discussion the life cycle, pathogenicity, symptoms, prevention, and treatments.

Answer 1

Human acquisition of the pork tapeworm:

Poke tapeworm is also known as Taenia Solium. As these worms are found in mostly pork hence it has been named accordingly. When the humans eat improperly cooked meat of pork then they are acquired by the pork tapeworm. The worm can develop in the different organs of the human making them infected. Also when the carriers of the worm sits on faeces containing eggs of the worm and contaminate the food and water, also by consuming the contaminated food and water the humans are acquired by this worm.

Life cycle :

Two hosts are found in the life cycle of the pork worm, human and pig known as definitive and intermediate host respectively.After infecting the human by adult worm, the eggs are released to the environment through the faeces and than enter the pig when they eat the excreta of human. Inside the pig the eggs developed in to oncospheres and passes through intestinal wall by boring it and converted into cysticerci form which can last in the body of pig for long time and when the human eat these contaminated meat of pig the cysticeri adult form of worm infect the human again continuing its life cycle.

in Human:

Hexacanth embryo released in intestine of host Eggs in feces Ingested by specific intermediate host 20 Penetrates mucosa to tissue T. solium only Develops into cysticercus Human ingests eggs Cow T. saginata Embryo released in intestine Hog T. solium To tissue Develops into adult Scolex released Human ingests undercooked meat CGS Cysticercus in eye, brain, muscle, bone JOVONO Attaches to intestine Cysticercus dissolved in intestine

The Cysticerci form is oval in shape having a inverted scolex which are everted by the bile juice and digestive enzymes inside the small intestine of human. Than they attached to the upper wall of small intestine through crowned hooks, 4 suckers and scolex attaching to the villi of the small intestine. They absorbed the surrounding nutrients and developed in to adult work within 10 to 12 weeks. They perform self or cross fertilization and lays large numbers of eggs inside proglottid. Sometimes these proglottid may rupture inside the intestine liberating the eggs and oncospheres free in the faeces of the host which came out from body through the faeces of the human.

In pig:

When the pig eat the faeces of infected human the egg enter into its intestine where they burst to give motile oncospheres. these bore the wall of small intestine and circulate through the blood and lymphatic fluid upto brain, liver, striated muscle or any other tissues where the developed into cysticeri.

Pathogenicity and Symptoms:

(write the lengthiness of the disease in the host as pathogenicity and the effect shown by the disease as symptom if you want to write these two seprately)

1. Taeniasis:

It is caused in the intestine by the adult worm which causes mild effect like abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea and constipation. It may get cured due to treatment or the worm can live up to 2 to 3 years showing mild symptoms. In severe cases we may found  intestinal irritation, anaemia, and indigestion occur, which can lead to loss of appetite and emaciation..

2.Cysticerosis:

It occurs when the larva develops in the intestine after rupturing of egg and causes severe effect like headaches, dizziness, and seizures . It can also causes  dementia or hypertension due to improper circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid. The effect of the disease depend upon the size, shape , number and location of larvae present on the tissue of the host. It also shows symptoms like sensory deficits, involuntary movements, brain system dysfunction,meningitis etc and even death.

Prevention:

1. Maintaining sanitation

2. Avoiding eating of contaminated food and water.

3. Health education including hygiene maintaining and food quality maintaining.

4. Treating the patients as soon as possible and .

5. Awaring people to stop open defecation.

6.Improvisation of pig husbandry through proper training.

7. Inspection of pork before eating.

8. Proper cooking of pork.

Treatment:

Taeniasis can be cured with praziquantel or  niclosamide with a proper medically administered dosage.

In cysticerosis in moat cases inflammation occurs due to the dying worms hence albendazole with steroids is given to reduce the inflammation. It should be done very carefully. Also sometimes surgery is done to remove the worm. But sometimes vaccination or other preventive measures are also taken to clear the worm from the pig so that human will remain unaffected