FEU MedTech 2nd Semester AY 2019-2020

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GAOAT, Jurel John G.
Section – 12
Cestodes

Common name: flatworms or tapeworms

• Hermaphroditic
• Three morphologic forms:
– Egg
– One or more larval stage
– Adult
• Lab diagnosis: recovery of eggs and gravid proglottids
• Majority of infections with cestodes: foodborne
• Do not have a digestive tract
• How do they obtain their nutrients? Cestodes absorb nutrients from the host’s alimentary tract
through their specialized neodermal cuticle, or tegument, through which gas exchange also takes
place
• Appearance: Flat or ribbon-like appearance and they have a tape-like and segmented body.
• Order Pseudophyllidea and Order Cyclophyllidea – with medical and PH significance
– Pseudophylideans: spatulate scolex with sucking grooves
– Cyclophylideans: globular scolex with 4 suckers

Table of comparison for Taenia saginata and Taenia solium

Taenia saginata Taenia solium

Common Name Beef tapeworm Pork tapeworm

Size 5-10m or longer 2-7m
Disease caused Taeniasis saginata (in humans) Taeniasis solium
Cysticercosis (cattle/cows) Human cysticercosis
Cysticercosis (pigs)
Scolex 4 suckers no hooks (unarmed 4 suckers with a crown of hooklets (armed
rostellum) rostellum)
Gravid Segments 15-39 lateral branches 5-18 lateral branches
Intermediate Host cattle/cows pigs
Final Host man man
Infective Stage Cycticercus larva: cyscticercus Cysticercus larva: cysticercus cellulosae
bovis
Proglottids in Passed out in singles Passed out in SHORT CHAINS
feces
Based on the characteristics above, identify the species:
 FEU MedTech 2nd Semester AY 2019-2020
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Figure 1: Taenia saginata Figure 1: Taenia saginata Figure 1: Figure 2:

Figure 2: Taenia solium Figure 2: Taenia solium Taenia saginata Taenia solium

Hymenolepis diminuta
• Parasite primarily of rats
• Accidental human ingestion: hymenolepiasis
• Requires an intermediate host
Hymenolepis nana
• Vampirolepis nana
• Dwarf tapeworm
• Smallest tapeworm infecting humans
• Only human tapeworm that can complete its lifecycle in a single host

Table of comparison for H.diminuta ova and H.nana ova

H. diminuta ova H. nana ova
Average size 55 by 85 μm 45 by 38 μm
Hooklets Three pairs; hexacanth embryo Three pairs; hexacanth embryo
Polar thickenings Present Present
Polar filaments Absent Present
embryophore Present; colorless Present; colorless

Based on the characteristics above, identify the species:

Figure 1: Figure 2:
Hymenolepis diminuta egg Hymenolipis nana egg
 FEU MedTech 2nd Semester AY 2019-2020
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Table of comparison for H.diminuta ova and H.nana adult
H. diminuta adult H. nana adult
Scolex: 4 4
# of suckers
Rostellum Present Present; short
Hooks Absent Present, one row
Gravid Proglottid: size Twice as wide as long Twice as wide as long
appearance Saclike uterus filled with eggs Saclike uterus filled with eggs

Dipylidium caninum
• Dog or cat tapeworm
• Pumpkin seed tapeworm
• Dipylidiasis
• Accidental infection in humans: common in children

D.caninum egg:
Describe the egg: 5-30 eggs in an enclosed packet, with six-hooked oncosphere

Gravid Proglottid:
Resemble pumpkin seeds in shape. Each mature segment
contains two sets of both male and female reproductive organs.

Describe the Scolex: Equipped with four suckers and a club-shaped arm rostellum. Contains 1-7
circlets of spines that reside on the rostellum.
 FEU MedTech 2nd Semester AY 2019-2020
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Adult worm: Four number of suckers; rostellum is present that is club-shaped with 1-7 circlets of
spines; hooks are absent. Proglottid resembles pumpkin seed; full of eggs in enclosed embryonic
membrane

Diphyllobothrium latum
• Only pseudophyllidean tapeworm
• Broad fish tapeworm; fish tapeworm; broad tapeworm
• Competes for the availability of Vitamin B12
• Megaloblastic anemia
• With abopercular knob and operculum
• Common name: Broad fish tapeworm
• Habitat: Small Intestines
• Infective Stage: Plerocercoid larvae
• Mode of transmission: Ingestion of contaminated freshwater fish
• Diagnostic Stage: Ova in stool
• Final Hosts: Humans and fish-eating carnivores

Echinococcus spp.

• Common name: Hydatid worm / Dog Tapeworm •

Habitat: small intestines of dogs/canine spp.
• Infective Stage:
– hydatid cyst (canine spp)
– embryonated egg/ova (humans)
• Intermediate Hosts: sheep, goat, cattle, pigs, humans
• Definitve/Final Hosts: canine spp.
• Smallest tapeworm

References:
• Zeibig, Elizabeth A. (2013). Clincal Parasitology: A Practical Approach. 2nd Edition
• Belizario, Vincent Jr., (2013). Medical Parasitology in the Philippines. University of the Philippines Press
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DPDX – Laboratory Identification of Parasitic Diseases of
Public Health Concern, http://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/