PARASITOLOGY NOTES TOPIC: CESTODES
Phylum Platyhelminthes
Class Cestoda: Tapeworms
I. General Characteristics:
Exclusively hermaphroditic ____________________________________________________________________________
No digestive/circulatory systems, adult worms with flat, _______________, ribbon-like bodies
All are heteroxenous _______________________________________________________except for Hymenolepis nana –homoxenous
_____________________________________________________
Habitat of ADULT tapeworm ____________________, larvae found in ________________________
II. 2 Groups of Tapeworms
PSEUDOPHYLLIDEA COMMON NAME CYCLOPHYLLIDEA COMMON
Species Species NAME
Diphyllobothrium latum Fish Broad Taenia solium Pork tapeworm
Tapeworm/Russian Armed
Broad Tapeworm tapeworm
Taenia saginata Beef tapeworm
Unarmed
tapeworm
Hymenolepis nana Dwarf
Tapeworm
Hymenolepis diminuta Rat Tapeworm
Dipylidium caninum Dog tapeworm
Double Pored
tapeworm
Echinococcus granulosus Hydatid worm
1. SCOLEX
2. Segments
a. Genital pore Central Lateral
b. Uterine pore Central Absent
c. apolysis absent present
3. Ova Unembryonated, ovoid Embryonated, spherical
4. Intermediate host
III. Parts of the Tapeworm Body
1. Scolex/Head – hold fast organ, organ for attachment, maybe equipped with rostellum and hooks
With GLOBULAR SCOLEX (without hooks): Hymenolepis diminuta and Taenia saginata
With GLOBULR SCOLEX (with hooks): Hymenolepis nana, Taenia solium, Dipylidium caninum & Echinococcus granulosus
With SPATULATE/ALMOND SHAPED /SPOON SHAPED SCOLEX : Diphyllobothrium latum, equipped with 2 false suckers (sectorial grooves)
called ______________
Species Distinguishing features
Taenia solium Double row of brown chitinous hooks arranged around the rostellum
Taenia saginata No rostellum or hooks
Dipylidium caninum Prominent conical rostellum with a small thorn shaped hooks arranged in 1-7 rows
Hymenolepis nana Retractile rostellum with a single roe of Y-shaped hooks
Hymenolepis diminuta Rudimentary apical rostellum without hooks
Echinococcus granulosus Typically taeniid, armed with hooks
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PARASITOLOGY NOTES TOPIC: CESTODES
Scolex of D. latum Scolex of T. solium Scolex of T. saginata
2. Neck – budding zone, consist of germinative tissues ____________________________________________
3. Strobila –entire chain of segments/proglottids
3.1 immature
3.2 mature
Species MATURE SEGMENTS
rd
Taenia solium 100-200 follicular testes; with ACCESSORY OVARIAN LOBE (3 ovary)
Taenia saginata 300-400 follicular testes; vaginal sphincter
Dipylidium caninum 2 sets of male and female reproductive organs; with BILATERAL GENITAL PORES
Hymenolepis nana 3 testes and 1 ovary
Hymenolepis diminuta Same as H. nana
Echinococcus granulosus One set of reproductive structures
Lateral genital pore
ACCESSORY OVARIAN
LOBE
Mature segment of T. solium Mature segment of D. caninum
3.3 gravid/ripe – contains the egg filled uterus
Species Gravid Segments/specific features Appearance of UTERUS
Taenia solium Longer than broad Central trunk with LATERAL UTERINE BRANCHES
(8-12/8-15 branches)
Taenia saginata Central trunk with lateral uterine branches (15-30
branches)
Dipylidium caninum Pumpkin seed shaped; resemble rice grains in stool Uterus not visible. Proglottid filled with packets
containing eggs
‘’EGG PACKET’’
Hymenolepis nana Broader than long Uterus not usually visible but is SAC-LIKE/SACCULAR
Hymenolepis diminuta UTERUS
Echinococcus granulosus Longer than broad Midline with lateral evaginations ; loosely twisted/coiled
Diphyllobothrium latum Broader than long Rosette shaped
T. solium T. saginata Hymenolepis D. latum E. granulosus
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PARASITOLOGY NOTES TOPIC: CESTODES
Species Length of ADULT TAPEWORM
Taenia solium 2 – 8 meters occasionally 8 meters, may produce 800 – 1000 segments
Taenia saginata 5 – 10 meters occasionally 10 meters, may produce 1000 – 2000 segments
Dipylidium caninum 10 – 70 cm. may produce 60 – 175 segments
Hymenolepis nana 1 – 4 cm. or 40 x 0.5 – 0.9 mm. ; may produce 200 segments
Hymenolepis diminuta 20 – 60 cm. may produce 800 – 1000 segments ; 300 – 600 X 4 mm. in size
Echinococcus granulosus 3 –8 mm. with only 3 segments
Morphology of Ova
Species OVA SIZE DISTINGUISHING FEATURES
D. latum OPERCULATED 55-76 X 41-56 UM With inconspicuous operculum at one end and a small knob at the other
end ; egg contains undeveloped coracidium
Similar to those of Paragonimus westermani
T. solium 30-45 UM Eggs are Indistinguishable, with thick striated shell enclosing a hexacanth
T. saginata embryo
H.nana Non-operculated 40-60 UM x 30-50 um With polar thickenings that give rise to 4-8 polar filaments
H. diminuta 70-86 um x 60-80 um With polar thickenings but no filaments, with intra-laminal layer giving it
a “fried egg “ appearance
D. caninum 31-50 um x 27-48 um 8-15 eggs contained in a sac or capsule “EGG PACKETS”
E. granulosus Same with Taenia spp but NEVER seen in human feces
D. latum Taenia spp. H. nana H. diminuta D. caninum
Species INFECTIVE STAGE to MAN INTERMEDIATE HOST DEFINITIVE HOST
D. latum Plerocercoid Primary IH : Fresh water crustaceans (copepods,Cyclops) Man
Procercoid Second IH: fresh water fishes (pike , eel, trout)
T. solium Eggs and cysticercus cellulosae Swine, hogs, pigs MAN
T. saginata Cysticercus bovis Cows/cattles
H.nana Egg and cysticercoid Human flea (Pulex irritans) ; Rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis), Dog Man
flea (Ctenocephalides canis) ; Cockroaches (B. germanica), Rice
and flour beetles ( Tenebrio species)
H. diminuta Cysticercoid Fleas and cockroaches Rat, rarely man
D. caninum Dogs and human fleas Dogs, rarely man
E. granulosus egg Sheep, hogs Dogs, foxes wolves
MAN is accidental host
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PARASITOLOGY NOTES TOPIC: CESTODES
Species PATHOLOGY
D. latum Diphyllobothriasis – MEGALOBLASTIC ANEMIA and sparganosis
T. solium Taeniasis and Cysticercosis
T. saginata Taeniasis, often symptomless, but abdominal discomfort, hunger pain, anorexia and diarrhea or constipation may
occur
H.nana Light infections are symptomless but in heavy infections, signs include abdominal pain, diarrhea, headache and
H. diminuta insomnia
D. caninum
E. granulosus Cyst of varying sizes and location including the liver, lungs, kidney, spleen, abdominal cavity, brain, bines,
subcutaneous tissues, muscle and heart
in D. latum, ingestion of PLEROCERCOID LARVA (from inadequately cooked/raw fishes) can lead to _____________________________; in
such case Man is considered as ________________host ( since plerocercoid larva grows into maturity/adult in man). Such Infection is an
intestinal infection which can be detected thru stool exam ( eggs in feces)
SPARGANOSIS is tissue infection due to larva______________________, can be caused by Spirometra spp. (Spirometra mansoni)
Spirometra mansoni Definitive hosts are cats/dogs( adult worms in GIT) while Intermediate hosts are Primary IH : Cyclops ; Second IH :
snakes, frogs and fishes
In T. solium and T. saginata, Ingestion of CYSTICERCUS CELLULOSAE and CYSTICERCUS BOVIS can lead to __________________________;
in such case Man is considered as _______________________host (since cysticercus larva grows into maturity in man). Such infection is
an intestinal infection which can be detected thru stool exam (eggs in feces), cellophane swab
Ingestion of T. solium EGGS can lead to _______________________________________, a tissue infection, in such case man is
_____________________host, larva grows in subcutaneous tissues/muscles . Symptoms depends on site affected. Neurocysticercosis
(brain) is the most serious. Diagnosis is thru Biopsy (definitive) Sero tests, imaging techniques i.e. x-ray, CT scan, MRI
Echinococcus multilocularis – causes alveolar or multilocular hydatid disease in man.
Definitive host: Dogs, cats
Intermediate host: rodents
Mode of transmission: consumption of fruits or vegetables contaminated with dog’s or cat’s feces
Multiceps multiceps
Natural parasite of dogs (definitive host),
Intermediate hosts : cattles, sheep
Man is accidental intermediate host
Larval form in man is called _________________
In sheep, coenurus in brain ______________________
Taenia saginata asiatica/ Asian Taenia
Smaller than T. saginata, scolex suggestive of T. solium
Intermediate host: pigs
Cysticercus in liver of pig not muscle
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