Tapeworm infection caused by the habit of eating undercooked meat.

10-meter long rope

The Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases ( Hanoi ) recently admitted a 50-year-old male patient from Thai Nguyen who came for examination after a long tapeworm was found protruding from his anus.

Chu kỳ phát triển và lây nhiễm của sán dây — The life cycle and infection of tapeworms

Speaking with the doctor, Mr. TVN said: "I have a habit of eating raw or undercooked food and blood pudding very frequently. Ten years ago, I had to be treated for parasitic worm infections. This time, I noticed worms coming out during bowel movements, so I went for a check-up." At the hospital, the patient was admitted to the Virology - Parasitology Department for treatment.

Regarding the case, a doctor from the Virology-Parasitology Department of the Central Tropical Diseases Hospital stated that hospitalization was necessary because home deworming was not thorough or hygienic, making it easy to spread the infection to others; the patient was also not monitored for proper medication use or the condition of the expelled worms…

To completely remove the tapeworm, both the segments and the head must be extracted. If the segments and head remain, the tapeworm will continue to develop, as in this patient who had previously undergone deworming but was not completely eliminated.

Doctor in the Virology - Parasitology Department (Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases)

"To completely remove the parasite, both the segments and the head must be removed. If the segments and head remain, it will continue to develop, as this patient had previously undergone deworming but it wasn't completely gone," the doctor added.

VERY CONTAGIOUS

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, Deputy Head of the Virology - Parasitology Department at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases, stated that taeniasis is caused by adult tapeworms parasitizing the intestines. Taeniasis can infect humans in both adult and larval forms. Humans are usually infected with pork tapeworms and beef tapeworms. The disease is associated with the habit of eating raw, undercooked, or raw pork and beef. Larval taeniasis occurs when consuming pork tapeworm eggs.

Pork tapeworm eggs are excreted in the feces of infected individuals, potentially contaminating water and soil, and consequently contaminating food such as raw vegetables and aquatic plants that have been exposed to the eggs.

The larvae of the pork tapeworm can develop in the muscles, skin, eyes, and central nervous system. Severe cases can cause severe headaches, vomiting, convulsions, or seizures.

Regarding beef tapeworm, a doctor at Tam Anh General Hospital noted that the tapeworm segments automatically crawl out and can be found in bedding, clothing, etc. Therefore, it is very easy to infect others if hygiene is poor. Adult tapeworms are 4-10 meters long.

When consuming undercooked pork or beef containing tapeworm larvae (cysts), the cysts enter the human body and develop into adult pork or beef tapeworms, which then parasitize the small intestine.

P DISEASE PREVENTION

People infected with tapeworms may experience nonspecific symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, or constipation as the tapeworms develop in the intestines.

To prevent illness, people should eat cooked food and drink boiled water, and avoid eating raw or undercooked food. They should also maintain good hygiene in their surroundings.

Practice proper hand hygiene, washing your hands with soap before eating and after using the toilet.

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