CESTODES/ TAPEWORMS

Characteristics:
 Adult tapeworm is flat and ribbon like
 Hermaprodite
 The body consists of the following
 Scolex: anterior attachment organ
 SCOLEX WITH HOOKLETS:
 Taenia solium
 Hymenolepis nana
 Dipylidium caninun
 Echinococcus granulosus
 SCOLEX WITHOUT HOOKLETS
 Taenia saginata
 Hymenolepis diminuta
 Neck: region of growth
 Chain of segments or proglottids(strobila)
 Immature:
 Mature:
 With third ovary called “ACCESSORY OVARIAN LOBE” :
 With “Bilateral genital pore”:
 Gravid: contains the “eggs filled uterus”
 LONGEST CESTODES AS TO LENGTH:
 SHORTEST AS TO LENGTH:
 SHORTEST CESTODES THAT CAN INFECT MAN IN ITS ADULT STAGE:
 AS TO HOST REQUIREMENTS, they are HETEROXENOUS:
 HOMOXENOUS:
 HABITAT:
 MOT:

DIFFERENCE PSEUDOPHYLLIDEAN CYCLOPHYLLIDEAN

Diphyllobotrium latum Species which require
vertebrate IH:
Taenia solium
Taenia saginata

Species which requires

invertebrate IH:
Dipyllidium caninam

Species may or may not

require IH:

Hymenolepis nana
SCOLEX Spoon shaped with slit Quadrate , with four cup-

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 like sucking grooves like suckers (Rostellum
(Bothria) with or without hookelts)
No hooklets
STROBILA Anapolytic (not sheeding Apolytic (shedding
segments) segements)
OVA Oval, operculated Sperical, non operculated,
immature embryonated
LARVAL STAGES Coracidium, procercoid, Cystecercoid, cystcercus,
plerocercoid or hydatid
sparganum
INTERMDIATE HOST 2 IH: Crustaceans Only one, usually lower
(copepods), Fresh water forms of mammal or
host arthropod

1. Diphyllobotrium latum
 CN:
 Morphology
 Scolex: spatulate/spoon-shaped with sucking organ called
bothrium
 Uterus: rosette formation
 Ova: ovoidal, opeculated, moderatedly thick shelled, light
golden yellow and immature when laid

 LARVAL STAGE:
 CORACIDIUM>PROCERCOID>PLEROCERCOID>SPARPAGANU
M
 D . latum ressembles Spirometra
 1st IH: Copepods
 2nd IH: Fresh water fish
 PATHOLOGY: Tapeworm anemia/Vitamin B12 deficiency
anemia

Difference Taenia saginata Teania solium

Common name
IH
Scolex None, no rostellar With rostellum armed
hooks with 2 rows or large
and small hooklets
Length 25 meters 7 meters
Number of 1000-2000 Less than 1000
proglottids
Gravid proglottid 15-20 lateral branches 7 to 13 lateral
(Dichotomous or tree branches (dentritic or

Prepared by: RICHARD DAVID SILVESTRE, RMT, MSMT ( c ) 2

 like) finger like)
Eggs Spherical striated, Spherical striated,
iniside is an embryo inside is an embryo
with 6 hookelts with 6 hooklets
Larva Cystecercus bovis Cystecercus cellulosae

Infective stage Cystecercu bovis Cystcercus cellulosae

pathogenesis Taeniasis saginata Taeniasis solium,

Cystecercosis

LIFE CYCLE:

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 Difference Hymenolopes nana Hymenolepis
diminuta
CN
IH Only human tapeworm Insects
that does not require
I.H to complete its
L natural life cycle,
I however insects may
F act as an IH in some
E cases ,Rice beetle
(Tanebrio spp.)
C
Scolex With rostellum armed With an unarmed
Y with a ring of 20-30 rostellum
C spines
L
Eggs Eggs contain an Eggs contain an
E oncospere enclosed in oncosphere enclosed
: an inner membrane in an inner membrane
H with 2 polar with two polar
. thickenings, from each thickenings but
of which arises 4-8 without filaments
d polar filaments
i
Infective stage Eggs (direct) Cystcercoid larva
m Cystecercoid larva
(Indirect)
Final host Man Rat

LIFE CYCLE:

Prepared by: RICHARD DAVID SILVESTRE, RMT, MSMT ( c ) 4

Difference Dipyllidium caninum Echinococcus
granulosus
CN DOUBLED PORED HYDATID WORM
/DOG TAPEWORM
IH Dog fles Sheep/ ox
Cat flea Man (accidental)
Human flea Goat
Horse
Camel
Scolex globular Pyriform
Mature/ gravid Melon/PUMPKIN Midline uterus with
segment shaped with Bilateral Taenia like egg
genital pore
Infective stage Cystecercoid Hydatid cyst/
Embryonated egg
Final host Dog/ man Dogs

Diagnosis Stool exam: eggs, Xray/ unltrasonography

scolex. Proglottids Exploratory cyst
puncture
IMMUNODIAGNOSTICS:
Bentonite flocculation
L test
I CASONI: intradermal test
F
E CYLE:
D. caninum

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 E. granulosus

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES OF CESTODES:

1. EGG STAGE

 Pseudophyllidean produces OPERCULATED EGGS

 D. latum ova is operculated, with operculum and opposite the
operculum is abopercular knob, egg contains undeveloped
coracidium
 Produces eggs similar to:

 Cyclophyllidean produces NON-OPECULATED EGGS

 Taenia ova
 With striated shell containing HEXACANT embryo

 Hymenolepis nana

Prepared by: RICHARD DAVID SILVESTRE, RMT, MSMT ( c ) 6

  Non-opeculated, with hexacanth embryo
 Embryo shows polar thickenings, and originating from
thickenings are polar filaments

 Hymenolepis diminuta
 Non-operculated with embryo
 Embryo shows polar thickenings but no polar filaments
 Eggs with intralaminal layer, giving it’s a fried egg
appearance

 Dipyllidium caninum
 Eggs do not occurs singly, comes in group called: EGG
PACKETS

 Echinococcus granulosus
 Identical to those of Taenia but NEVER seen in human
feces

2. LARVAL STAGE AND HOST REQUIREMENTS

Genus/ Host Intermediate Larval form is Usual

Species requirements host called: infective
stage to man:
T. solium 2 hosts

T. saginata

D. latum 3 hosts 1ST: Plerocercoid

2nd:
H.nana 2 hosts Cytecercoid Cystecercoid

H. diminuta Fleas

D. caninum
Fleas
E. granulosus ACCIDENTAL Hydatid Eggs
HOST:

3. ADULT STAGE
LENGTH OF ADULT TAPEWORMS
T. solium 2-4 meters occasionally 8 meters, may
produce 800-1000 segments
T. saginata 4-6 meters occasionally 10 meters, may

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 produce 1000-2000 segements
D. latum 3 to 10 meters, may have more than
3000 segments
H. nana 1-4 cm or 25 to 40mm, may produce 200
segments
H. diminuta 20 to 60 cm, may produce 800 to 1000
segements
D. caninum 10 to 70 cm may produce 60 to 175
segments
E. granulosus 3 to 6 mm with only 3 segments

Prepared by: RICHARD DAVID SILVESTRE, RMT, MSMT ( c ) 8