Cestodes, or tapeworms, include multiple species of flat worms that can reside in the human gastrointestinal tract. The species that most commonly cause ...Home»DecisionSupportinMedicine»InfectiousDiseasesOVERVIEW:WhateveryclinicianneedstoknowParasitenameandclassificationCestodes,ortapeworms,includemultiplespeciesofflatwormsthatcanresideinthehumangastrointestinaltract.ThespeciesthatmostcommonlycausehumandiseaseincludeTaeniasaginatum,Taeniasolium,DiphyllobothriumlatumandHymenolepisnana.Whatisthebesttreatment?Praziquantalisthetreatmentofchoiceatvaryingdoses:–T.saginatum,T.solium,D.latum–10mg/kgorallyonceContinueReading–H.nana–25mg/kgorallyonce,thenrepeatedoneweeklaterAlbendazoleorpraziquantalcanbeusedforneurocysticercosis.Whataretheclinicalmanifestationsofinfectionwiththisorganism?Manyinfectedpatientsareasymptomatic.Themostcommongastrointestinalsymptomsincludenausea,diarrhea,epigastricdiscomfortordecreasedappetite.Therecanalsobenonspecificcomplaintsincludinganxiety,fatigueordizziness.Wholeadultworms,orsegments(proglottids)maybeseeninthestool.Oneoftheclassic,althoughrare,manifestationsofD.latuminfectionisvitaminB12deficiencyandmegaloblasticanemia.Inthesecases,fatigue,andperipheralandcentralneuropathyincludingparasthesiasandataxiamaydevelop.Mostofthetimetherearenokeyphysicalexamfindings.Patientsmayappearfatigued,orhavemildtomoderateabdominalpainonpalpation.Inpatientswithmegaloblasticanemia,classicfindingsofthisconditionmaybepresentincludingglossitis,ataxiaanddecreasedsensation,especiallyinthelowerextremities.Dootherdiseasesmimicitsmanifestations?Otherinfectiouscausesofgastroenteritis,includingviralormildbacterialinfections,canmimiccestodeinfection.Whatlaboratorystudiesshouldyouorderandwhatshouldyouexpecttofind?Resultsconsistentwiththediagnosis(providediscussionofinterpretation):InsomecasestherecanbeamildperipheraleosinophiliaAclassicfindinginD.latuminfectioncanbeVitaminB12deficiency,causedbytheworm,andwhichinaminorityofcases,resultsinmegaloblasticanemia.Resultsthatconfi