SkipdirectlytositecontentSkipdirectlytopageoptionsSkipdirectlytoA-ZlinkParasites-TaeniasisSectionNavigationCDCHomeFacebookTwitterLinkedInSyndicateResourcesforHealthProfessionalsEspañol(Spanish)MinusRelatedPagesOnThisPageSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentTaeniasisinhumansisaparasiticinfectioncausedbythetapewormspeciesTaeniasaginata(beeftapeworm),Taeniasolium(porktapeworm),andTaeniaasiatica(Asiantapeworm).Humanscanbecomeinfectedwiththesetapewormsbyeatingraworundercookedbeef(T.saginata)orpork(T.soliumandT.asiatica).Peoplewithtaeniasistypicallyhavemildgastrointestinalsymptomsormaybeasymptomatic.Humansbecomeinfectedbyeatingraworundercookedinfectedbeeforpork.Onceingested,cysticerciattachtothesmallintestineanddevelopintoadulttapewormsoverthecourseof2months.Theadulttapewormsproduceproglottidsthatmature,detach,andmigratetotheanusandarethenpassedinthefeces.T.saginatatapewormsareusually4-12minlength,butcangrowtobe25m;theadulttapewormsproduce1,000to2,000proglottids/wormandmayproduceupto100,000eggsperworm.T.solium(pork)tapewormsaresmaller,2-8minlength,produceanaverageof1,000proglottids/worm,andmayproduce50,000eggsperworm.T.asiaticatapewormsrangeinsizefrom4-8m,produce700proglottids/wormandmayproduce80,000eggsperproglottid.Moreon:DPDx:Taeniasis  DiseaseBecauseofthelargesizeofT.saginatatapeworms,T.saginatataeniasisismorefrequentlysymptomaticcomparedtoT.soliumorT.asiaticataeniasis.Typicalsymptomsoftaeniasisincludemildepigastricdiscomfort,nausea,flatulence,diarrhea,orhungerpains.Insomeinstances,passageoftapewormsegmentsisperceptible.Themostvisiblesymptomoftaeniasisistheactivepassingofproglottidsthroughtheanusandinthefeces.Inrarecases,proglottidsmaybecomelodgedintheappendiceallumen,orbileorpancreaticducts. DiagnosisMicroscopicidentificationofeggsandproglottidsinfecesisdiagnosticfortaeniasis;however,eggsandproglottidsarenotreleasedintothefecesuntilapproximately2to3monthsaftertheadulttapewormisestablishedintheupperjejunum.Repeatedexaminationandconcentrationtechniqueswillincreasethelikelihoodofd